防治艾滋病仍面临许多歧视

Ahead of World AIDS Day this saturday, the Chinese authorities have released new stats, showing AIDS-related deaths so far this year are up 8.6-percent.

And as CRI's Robert Costello reports, discrimination againsts people living with HIV/AIDS is once-again taking center-stage.

The issue of discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS jumped back into the spotlight earlier this month, after it was revealed an AIDS patient was turned away from two different hospitals in Tianjin while trying to get treatement for lung cancer.

The patient only recieved treatment after modifying his medical records to show that he didn't have AIDS.

The incident prompted concerns from the highest levels of government, with vice-Premier Li Keqiang issuing a warning to the Health Ministry about discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS.

The Health Ministry has since responded with a new set of guidelines, warning of severe consequences for medical facilities which don't treat HIV/AIDS sufferes who show up with other medical problems.

Fu Wenhao is the Deputy Director of the Ministry of Health's Medical Administration.

"Every infected patients coming to the hospital should be taken care of, and for hospitals that don't have the necessary equipment and staff, it is necessary to transfer the patients to designated hospitals for treatment. Hospitals can also turn to health authority for help on any difficulties, especially in emergency situations."
The treatment of HIV/AIDS patients at regular hospitals is prompting concerns of accidental infections.

Doctor Zhang Ke with Beijing's You'an Hospital, who has long been involved in clinical AIDS work, says people really don't need to be worried about cross-contamination.

"HIV is very fragile. It dies after leaving the human body. Conventional disinfectants are very effective prevention measures. The infections may happen in small clinics, but it won't spread in regular hospitals."

At the same time, Professor Zhou Zijun with the School of Public Health at Peking University notes its the responsibility of HIV/AIDS patients to be honest in disclosing their illness.

"If one conceals the fact to the doctor, and causes others getting infected, it is an act of deliberately spreading AIDS, and the poerson should be legally charged. Knowing AIDS being contagious and concealing the fact is irresponsible."

So far this year, over 17-thousand people here in China have died of AIDS-related diseases.

For CRI, this is Robert Costello.