China President Shakes Hands With AIDS Patients, Vows End to Discrimination

Wearing a red silk ribbon, China's President Hu Jintao visited Beijing's You'an Hospital Tuesday, shook hands with AIDS patients, and pledged to help end disease-related discrimination. Hu spoke "face to face" with 14 patients and urged them to be confident and have the courage to combat the disease, Xinhua News Agency reported. It was Hu's first public appearance with AIDS patients since he became president in March 2003.

"It is very unfortunate for you to contract the disease, but the [Communist] Party, the government and society will truly care about and help you," said Hu, accompanied by Wu Yi, the vice-premier in charge of AIDS control and prevention. The public visit occurred on the eve of World AIDS Day and coincides with today's joint UN-China report establishing Beijing's policy for HIV/AIDS for the next year.

The joint report identified as targets increasing public awareness, treatment and care efforts. Authorities promised to work harder in raising public awareness of the disease. UN health officials warned this week that HIV is quickly spreading from high-risk groups to the general population.

"It is necessary to reinforce the tracking of patients," said Vice Health Minister Wang Longde. "In the next three years we think we will be able, roughly speaking, to stop contamination by blood transfusions," he said. "For the remainder, we can only slow down the speed of contamination."

Wang acknowledged that local government cooperation was being stymied. "Certain leaders at the local level know they have difficulties in their area but they do not want this known for fear that it will have a negative impact on investment," he said. Wang also announced China's HIV/AIDS budget would be doubled to 810 million yuan (US$98 million).

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