Rights Group Lauds China's AIDS Funding for Poor, Warns of Continuing Abuses

In a statement issued Tuesday from its New York offices, Human Rights Watch praised China's efforts to bring medicines to its poorest AIDS patients but warned that crackdowns and discrimination could undermine the plan. "Providing antiretroviral drugs to poor people is a great step forward. But draconian crackdowns against people at high risk of HIV will only drive them underground and make it less likely that they will come forward for testing and treatment," said Brad Adams, executive director of HRW's Asia division.

HRW said some elements of the Ministry of Health's "five promises on AIDS work," in particular an increased crackdown on drug users and prostitutes, could lead to abuses and prevent effective drug delivery. "China should repeal laws requiring detoxification, and work together with drug users and sex workers on HIV prevention and AIDS care," Adams said.

Adams also expressed concern that the ministry did not say how it would protect the rights of people with AIDS -- a key question, since some hospitals are reluctant to admit persons with HIV. "China urgently needs a national law barring discrimination against people with HIV/AIDS, and should establish a mechanism through which victims of discrimination can file complaints," Adams said. "How will the Chinese government give out medicine if the patients can't even get in the hospital?"

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