A HIV-positive woman who claimed she would die within weeks if deported has lost her legal challenge aimed at overturning the Minister for Justice’s decision to have her sent back to Nigeria.
The 46-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons and has been in Ireland since 2006, had challenged the decision to deport her on humanitarian grounds.
She is HIV-positive and has been receiving antiretroviral therapy in Ireland. She claimed that basic healthcare facilities in Nigeria were lacking and if deported, she “would die within weeks”. For financial reasons, she would not be able to avail of the medical care she needed in Nigeria.
In his judgment yesterday, Mr Justice John Cooke in the High Court dismissed her action. He found there was evidence that she would receive treatment for her condition, as she had received antiretroviral therapy in Nigeria prior to her arrival in the State.