thesis

Refugees, HIV/AIDS and Access to Medical Care: A Case Study of Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

Urban refugees in Egypt are at high risk for HIV/AIDS because of the lack of adequate health resources, social stability and the intense stigma and discrimination surrounding HIV/AIDS. Based on a literature review and semi-structured interviews conducted in Cairo, Egypt, this paper uses a vulnerability perspective to examine the challenges facing HIV-positive refugees in accessing necessary medical care. The combination of policy, structural forces and social relations results in a chain of causation that marginalizes refugees in Egyptian society. These social processes results in unequal access to health resources for refugees, thereby increasing their potential exposure to HIV transmission. This contextualized analysis of vulnerability and access to medical care highlights the potential to not only address the issue of HIV/AIDS services for refugees, but also to improve the economic, social and cultural standards of living for refugees in Cairo. Therefore a multi-faceted approach is necessary in order to find comprehensive solutions to address these underlying factors

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