HIV sufferers still discriminated against by healthcare workers: survey
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- [16:19 November 27 2009]
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By Yin Hang
A survey released Friday morning in Beijing by UNAIDS says nearly one-sixth of those with HIV had their status disclosed by healthcare professionals to other people without their permission. Nearly one-quarter of medical staff and more than one-third of government officials and teachers develop more negative and discriminatory attitudes towards people living with HIV after learning of their HIV-positive status.
The report, entitled The China Stigma Index Report, is based on a survey of more than 2,000 respondents and their experiences living with HIV in China. It is the first survey of its kind in China and among the first in the world.
“These results really underscore the importance of ensuring health care professionals receive appropriate training to reduce stigma and discrimination and increase their ability to provide appropriate services to people living with HIV,” said UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé.
Dr. Huang Jiefu, China’s Vice Minister of Health commented, “The Chinese government is committed to continuing to work together with the international community, including UNAIDS, and to doing more to eliminate discrimination, thus effectively helping to halt AIDS globally, and ensure the health of humankind.”
“This data collection project has clearly shown that people living with HIV need to be part of the response to AIDS. By working together we can make a big difference,” said Yu Xuan, 28, who was diagnosed as HIV positive and a consultant for Positive Talks, a campaign to stop stigma and discrimination. “People living with HIV should not be forced to live in the shadows.”
The research showed that 40 percent of people living with HIV reported facing HIV-related discrimination and more than two-thirds of all respondents said that their family members had experienced discrimination as a result of their HIV status. More than 12 percent had been refused medical care at least once since they were tested positive.
The release of the survey belongs to one part of a campaign launched jointly by UNAIDS, the Ministry of Health and the organization of People Living with HIV (PLHIV) and others to address HIV-related stigma and discrimination.
The nation-wide campaign will culminate around World AIDS Day on December 1 and will feature video broadcasts and more than 20 giant outdoor posters in 12 cities across China.
The Ministry of Health, Beijing Health Bureau and China Contraception Supply Centre will distribute more than 30,000 posters through their extensive networks. In addition, the videos will be shown in 88 Accor China hotels and on sohu.com and UNAIDS.org websites.
The Chinese Ministry of Health estimates that at the end of 2009, 740,000 people are living with HIV in China. According to the latest data, 48,000 were infected in 2009. More than 70 percent of new infections were through both homosexual and heterosexual transmission.
