The Minister for the Interior, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, has disclosed that about 1,300 applicants who participated in the recent security services recruitment exercise tested positive for HIV during the mandatory medical screening.
He said the development influenced the government’s decision not to send medical results directly to unsuccessful applicants, explaining that sensitive health information must be communicated through proper counselling channels.
Speaking before Parliament’s Public Assurance Committee, Mr Muntaka said applicants who fail the medical examination are instead provided with contact details to enable them to voluntarily request their results.
“I remember the recent recruitment we had. I think about 1,300 also were on HIV. Can you imagine sending somebody a result telling the person that you have HIV? That’s not the procedure. The person has to go through some orientation,” he said.
According to the Minister, applicants who contact the recruitment authorities are taken through counselling before being informed about the medical reasons for their disqualification.
He noted that some of the conditions detected during the screening are treatable, making it important for affected individuals to know their health status and seek medical support.
“Some of the things that we realised are treatable. People need to know and then also get treatment so that subsequent recruitment they could join,” he stated.
Mr Muntaka further disclosed that the medical screening also identified other conditions, including hepatitis B, cardiac-related issues, mental health conditions, previous major surgeries and drug-related concerns.
He encouraged unsuccessful applicants to request their medical results, stressing that knowing their health status could help them access early treatment where necessary.
“It may be something minor, it may be something major. Whichever it is, if you get to know, it will be of great interest to you,” he said.
The Minister revealed that more than 100,000 applicants underwent medical examinations after successfully passing the aptitude test stage of the recruitment process.
Responding to concerns from members of the Committee about whether applicants diagnosed with HIV had been directly informed, Mr Muntaka said the Ministry had provided a channel for individuals to voluntarily seek their results.
“We provided contact for people to call who were interested in knowing why they failed. We are obliged to give them the results, but we can’t send them to you on the phone,” he explained.
Some Committee members urged the Ministry to consider stronger counselling arrangements for applicants diagnosed with HIV, arguing that early awareness and treatment could improve health outcomes.
Mr Muntaka maintained that the approach adopted by the Ministry is aimed at protecting applicants from receiving sensitive medical information without proper guidance and is consistent with accepted health protocols.
