Today, December 1st, marks the 22nd annual World AIDS Day. In an effort to raise people's awareness, and eliminate prejudice against AIDS patients in China, the Health Ministry and an HIV support group -- working with the UN AIDS Program -- have issued a new report.
This is China's first report containing complete and accurate data, about the prejudice AIDS patients suffer.
The report shows, 25% of medical workers, one third of government officials, and more than 30 percent of teachers are biased against those infected with AIDS.
Prejudice generates fear, hampering the public from getting correct information.
Huang Jiefu, Vice Minister of chinese Health Ministry, said, "Figures in the report show a fifth of AIDS patients feel discriminated against. It is a big problem, because the prevention of AIDS needs people's understanding.
Many AIDS patients have been involved in putting the report together. Yu Xuan is one of them. He hopes society can create a caring atmosphere, helping more patients to ride out the dark side of their lives.
Yu Xuan, AIDS patient, said, "Less prejudice, but more understanding. That's what we hope for. We want to live a normal life like others do."
But in daily life, only a few AIDS patients have the courage to face others as an ordinary person.
According to the report, nearly 80% of the patients in China are worried about negative comments. A similar number lie about how they have been infected. Up to 27% of patients have changed jobs, or been refused jobs.
Statistics show there are 740-thousand AIDS patients in China, including 48-thousand new confirmed cases in 2009.
The theme for this year's World AIDS Day is "universal access and human rights." It aims to remind people that AIDS has not gone away, and there are many things still to be done.
GRAPHICS:
1. Show Prejudice:
25% Medical Workers
30% Government Officials
30% Teachers
2. 79.4% Negative Comments
81% Lie About Means of Infection
26.9% Change Jobs, or Refused Jobs