Thread: HIV+ International Primary Schools

Originally Posted by goo_stewart

that ain't true, legally speaking (but obviously not practically speaking)

I think that the requirement is work-permit related, so that the schools have only limited freedom there. The HIV testing may well be technically illegal in Thailand (I didn't argue that point because I know that it may well be true) but if go right down to it, what is the logic of mandatory testing for syphilis but not HIV?

F.

^there is NO work permit related HIV test so if your school is telling you that, then they are lying.

The syphilis test is, I have been told (but not confirmed), an underhand way of actually doing an HIV test as a syphilis test will give a false positive if the person has HIV. Now, I ain't swearing that is true, but it does make sense of testing for it if it is true.

Originally Posted by Stamp

Are you sure, Fantomas? All diseases you wrote about are the diseases which require a check according to the Ministry of Labour, Department of Employment, Foreign Workers Administration. Not HIV, though.

Originally Posted by goo_stewart

^there is NO work permit related HIV test so if your school is telling you that, then they are lying.

The syphilis test is, I have been told (but not confirmed), an underhand way of actually doing an HIV test as a syphilis test will give a false positive if the person has HIV. Now, I ain't swearing that is true, but it does make sense of testing for it if it is true.

Well, HIV was mentioned to me, with the other diseases listed, that I'm sure of. However, all the docs (including the medical bill) were in Thai. My only indications that the tests were OK was that they offered me a contract. One thing that I'm quite used to by now is that the info given to farang teachers is often inaccurate and/or contradictory; it's not necessarily to mislead, just a way to throw a banana to the inconsequential monkey so that he/she’ll keep quiet and stop asking questions.

For the reasons above and based on what you guys tell me, I therefore accept the fact that I may be wrong if HIV testing is really illegal; after all, I don't see why the school would go out of its way to do it in such a case, plus the hospital would have to record it and bill for the test.

F.

I have had to get tested every year at my school for Tertiary Syphilis, HIV and a couple of other diseases (Leprosy? Elephantiasis?). I was told that it was a new BOL requirement, but, quite frankly, I was more concerned with finding a cheap clinic to do the blood test than worrying about which diseases were being checked for.

As for the OP not being able to get a clear answer to his questions, that's not us being evasive or unhelpful, it's more a matter of each school having their own standards & procedures. Some schools could care less about the health requirements & others will be overly strict. However, the parents of wealthy children are usually very overprotective. They will probably not be very open-minded about your HIV status.


Remember, you are not in England any more. Employment ads usually specify age range, sex, nationality, etc..., all of which would be highly illegal in the west, so don't expect the same standards of confidentiality or professionalism here.

,

Do I lie? Check no if it asks a question on HIV.
Can I refuse their insurance and if I do will this raise questions?
Do not refuse the insurance. Just dont use it for HIV meds, specialists, CD4 Counts, Ect. Use it for broken arms, dengue fever, etc.

I have not disclosed to my GP my HIV status, but am getting excellent treatment anonymously at a UK clink. If I inform my GP then it would be beneficial to me, as then my GP could work together with the clinic, I would then get medication that would otherwise be excluded to me, like the flu jab etc and when (if) I have started HIV medical treatment before I leave for Thailand, then my GP could prescribe medication that could deal with the side effects from the HIV medication and which would not interact with the HIV medication. (I hope that has made sense?)

Seek emotional support from an HIV support group where you currently are. Also check POZ, and the Body online. Lots of info there. Do not disclose your HIV status to coworkers here. Period.

However I am led to believe insurance companies can ask for my medical record.

Yes, so keep your HIV medical records separtate.

So I am in two minds whether to disclose to my GP or not.

In the US you can tell him/her not to write in in your chart, but UK perhaps has other rules.

Will disclosing affect me getting a job in an international school in BKK, ie with a schools snooping insurance programmes?

Yes. Don't disclose. It is a private matter and none of their damn business. There are plenty of staff members working in schools that have HIV and they dont go around wearing Poz t-shirts. Thailand has a 1% postive rate among adults, so every large organization has postive staff members, clients, customers, etc. The main source of HIV in Thailand is hetersexual intercouse by the way.

Do international schools demand that you are insured? and or through their insurance programme?
As above, take the insurance. Check no for: Any imune problems? Your fine and will continue to be so with meds.
Would you disclose to your GP? What would you do? (I'm curious)
Not if you use the GP for the illnesses that your insurance does cover. Get a specialist HIV doctor at Bumrungrad Hospital.

(I am feeling strong and healthy, there seems to be no reason to disclose to my GP, at least not yet)
If you mean inn the UK check with local HIV organizations there. In Thailand, disclose only to your HIV doctor in Bumrungrad.
Any general advice pls regarding possible work issues regarding International schools in BKK?

Keep it private. Dont call attention to insurance issues. Thai policies generally exclude HIV, OIs, and tests and drugs for them anyway, you will be paying for that out of pocket. If you disclose, then you probably wont have a job anyway. Stigma is the real issue. Example: KeeKwai who likes to blame victims for diseases, rather than accept that humans do human things like have unprotected sex, smoke, use drugs or have lovers that do, etc.

As for treatment, Begin as soon as you are ready to take two pills everyday for the rest of your life. Sooner is better in my opinion. Magic Johnson started meds as soon as he tested pozitive and 20 years later the only thing that reminds him he has hiv is the two pills he takes each morning. In UK the meds probably cost National Health $1500 a month. Same meds here are $100. See the med post over on Health page sticky.

(I am currently researching the medication available in TH etc and its looking positive, my concern is snooping insurance procedures etc and being messed around by International schools and their forms or whatever, professionalism, possible work problems etc, like I said I am new to this and know very little so any information would be greatly appreciated)

The drugs that make up Atripla are the usual start. http://www.atripla.com/

Read the treatment page and know that in Thailland it is 2 pills: brand name TRUVADA^® or generic REcovir EM(emtricitabine/tenofovir DF) and Stocrin® also called SUSTIVA^® or (efavirenz).

may I also add a big thank you to 'Killing me softy'

Your quite welcome. That said, go back and delete personal information that might cause you to be recognized in your posts. Some dope will see a new staff member who fits your profile and drop a dime to admin.... Again think KeeKwai and his ilk.

---Update---

Just get over it. Ignore the moralists. If you hadn't gotten tested, would you know? Too much of an incentive never to get tested. Which is a worse public health policy to never get tested, or to be responsible, and get tested and treated, and be less infectious to others as well as maintaining your own health.

---Update---

[quote=Qwerty2;1733609]Remember, you are not in England any more. Employment ads usually specify age range, sex....quote]
Indeed. Think, Salem Mass, 1692. In the US you would probably have a pretty good lawsuit if an employer demanded an HIV test etc. California requires insurers to cover HIV on group policies, etc. This aint California baby.

---Update---

Here's the link for Poz, a online support community for HIV+ people. POZ - POZ Magazine - POZ.com - HIV - AIDS - HIV AIDS

Start here: POZ - Newly Diagnosed - HIV - AIDS - HIV Testing

---Update---

On another note how many schools require TB testing? I never had to take a TB test or get a chest X-ray in Thailand.

---Update---

Originally Posted by Tripple T

Do you actually need to go through the schools health insurance at an international school?

I worked 2 in Thailand, one required a complete physical (but didn't specify what that was and accepted one from my gp. The other had no test whatsoever. Both had forms for insurance. I competed them vaguely and never used either policy ever. I have my own cover for BUPA and got a hernia from work and the work insurance wasn't going to cover it but my BUPA policy paid most of the bill. both policies specifically excluded HIV,AIDS, ARC, OI related, and one policy excluded any motorcycle injuries. In Lao PDR the director took my rather complete physical and filed it away, and one Canadian just had the doctor write Medically Healthy for overseas assignment on a RX pad.

---Update---

In 1987 the US Government instituted and Amnesty Program for Undocumented Immigrants who had be in the US several years. One requirement was HIV- status. Community Activists in the HIV and Immigration areas did occasionally mention to HIV+ people seeking to legetimize there status that doctors did not routinely check identification of their patients as the person they were checking was assumed to be the patient. Needless to say more than one immigrant had brother or friend as a 'double'. I don't recommend that here but ............... the devil is the details.

I knew a ESL Teacher here who didn't want to get the required tests at the selected hospital, so missed his appointment, went to a clinic and had the routine physical that one gets for a driving license done in about 30 seconds for 100 baht plus 50 baht for the document....................
School had already started, and the Director accepted it. Easier then going to the head, explaining the problem, rescheduling the appointment. Sometimes its all about appearences, "Yes, all staff have been ckecked by a doctor." they can tell the parents/customers..

^I don't know what to say, thanks again killing me softly, for you direct and detailed response. Extremely appreciated.



''That said, go back and delete personal information that might cause you to be recognized in your posts. Some dope will see a new staff member who fits your profile and drop a dime to admin'' ~ Killingmesoftly

Thanks, I used a false age among other things so it should be cool



Some links I found helpful:

http://www.hivtravel.org/Default.asp...CountryCode=TH

http://i-base.info/

http://www.tht.org.uk/

http://www.aidsmap.com/e-atlas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFNs2mOkKzc



It looks like the syphilis test might be a ruse against us foreigners to really test for HIV (see link below) as it causes a false-positive (as mentioned in previous posts). A way to kind of test us for HIV, without saying so, typical Thai style.

So it looks like it would be difficult for someone with HIV to even get a work permit in a government school as they would have to pass the syphilis test, yes? If this is true it is very depressing.

Further questions:

Do international schools (generally)test for syphilis?

It there always a false-positive if you have HIV?

If you fail the syphilis test, what happens, do they stop your employment of just give you syphilis medication (if it's not a ruse)?

If there was a false positive would this then, HAVE TO, lead on to a HIV test?

How easy is it to get one of them BS medical certificates which include a syphilis test?

Is it actually true that the syphilis test is a trick to really test us for HIV (it kind of makes sense)?

I suppose this is all generally speaking of course, as some schools will be lax and other not. It would be a pain to get accepted into an international school, fly over to Thailand then get rejected a few weeks/months down the road to medical / insurance issues. Then where will I be? We all know how hard it will be to get a job in an international, by applying in-country.


(one step forward, two steps back)

Anyone else want to add to this? And information would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance

http://www.thebody.com/Forums/AIDS/SafeSex/Q192166.html

(Please keep your posts positive, I am posting for information and help and not to listen to moral judgement - save it for someone who will listen)

Originally Posted by Tripple T

If you fail the syphilis test, what happens, do they stop your employment of just give you syphilis medication (if it's not a ruse)?

If there was a false positive would this then, HAVE TO, lead on to a HIV test?

If you have a positive syphilis test the next medical step would be treatment (injections of pencillin) or a confirmation test.

The screening test is usually a VDRL, the confirmation tests then would be Western Blot or PCR I believe.

But did a little research and the possibility of a HIV causing a false positive is only about 1 in 200. And some of the tests have a false positive rate of 3 in 100 within general population so. I discount the theory of using a syphilis test to check for HIV.

That doesn't mean that some clinic is not taking the blood test and checking it for HIV too without telling you. However all this costs money and my experience is that it really isn't being done. Also Hep B is far more contagious as a blood borne pathogen than HIV and they don't screen for that (many carriers in Asia) nor are thay testing for TB at least when I taught which is a far more dangerous problem in a public school setting (and also the number one OI for people with HIV in Thailand)....

But with all this on your plate, perhaps you ought to reconsider teaching in Thailand, start in UK where there are laws against discrimination and get your viral load to undetectable. A few years under your belt as a UK teacher and then review your options in a few years.

Thailand can be your vacation destination instead. Perhaps a better option for you.

Originally Posted by jonny danger

Yes, she's a gem.

Last time I looked JD I had a willie so make that a he.

---Update---

Originally Posted by Tripple T

a supportive (intelligent middle class Thai) girlfriend and generally healthy.

Taking that in mind, perhaps a look at the relationship. Presumably they will want children (yes it is possible to for HIV+ to give birth to healhy HIV- babies) does she know your status? Is she also poz? Its called seroconcordant if both partners are the same stauts? If so what are the treatment options in UK/Thailand. Is she in Thailand or UK?

Will her status be a problem for you in Thailand as she has a different support system than you?

How will she access the HIV treatments? Understand that in Thailand you will pay for all your meds, tests, treatments but she might be accessing them the system though the Universal Health Scheme, which limits the treatment hopital to a local one (unless you also pay to treat her privately) and that may subject her to being stigmatized and you also by association.

You currently come from a system where your health care is provided, are you suddenly ready to have to pay a major portion of your income on medical treatments? Also if you are disconcordant (you poz she negative then you should be on treatment to prevent her seroconversion. Also some disconcordant couples use TDF+3TC meds to prevent conversion of the negative partner.

So many issues in addition to new job, new culture (international schools)...............

Don't answer here send a PM.