AIDS Infection Rate Skyrocketing in China

AIDS has been an epidemic for years now across the globe. When we think of countries where HIV infection is increasing rapidly with no end in sight, our minds may wander straight to Africa, which has grown legendary for how far-spreading and impacting the epidemic has become there. Concerts have been held to benefit those infected in Africa and AIDS foundations have heaped money in that direction for massive HIV research and outreach; however, few may stop to consider other countries where HIV infection rates are increasing at an alarming rate.

According to Beijing’s Health Ministry, in one year from 2006 to 2007, the HIV infection rate in China increased by a dramatic 45%. Chinese health officials have chalked up this rapid increase to an ever-changing societal attitude and increased technology in regards to collecting data about infection rates. In 2006, the Chinese government reported over 650,000 cases of HIV infection which skyrocketed to over 700,000 in late 2007. In addition, the reported cases of syphilis rose almost 25% in one year. This does not take into consideration the increase in other sexually transmitted diseases which the ministry did not speak on. Many HIV infection experts agree that this dramatic increase is a direct result of lack of sexual education and a fear that the poor Chinese population holds about seeking help for this type of infection.

In the United States where AIDS awareness is at an all-time high and information about how the disease is spread is widely known, it is strange and scary to consider that just a few years ago, the Chinese felt that AIDS only struck those foreign to China and that sharing utensils and having hand-to-hand contact could spread the disease. It is no wonder the disease has infected so many in China when vital details of AIDS and AIDS infection have been concealed. One spokesperson for the Beijing Health Ministry says, “It’s been hard over the years to discover the number of AIDS patients because of the social stigma.”

The United Nations has strongly warned the Chinese government that if extreme measures are not taken to promote HIV/AIDS education to the public, by 2010, over 10 million people will become infected with the virus. In addition, while HIV has spread due to sexual workers, unsafe sex and infected needles, over 70,000 people have been infected with HIV due to blood transfusions. This is due to the unrestrained and extremely unsanitary blood banks that receive contaminated blood from rural areas.

In some public areas, progress has been made. In 2003, Premier Wen Jiabao made headlines by shaking hands with patients infected with HIV, something that went against the Chinese social stigma. The current Chinese president, Hu Jintao, also uses opportunities to hug AIDS patients in order to alert the Chinese populace of outdated stigmas against HIV. Despite this, however, a survey offered by the Beijing Health ministry reported that more than half of those educated Chinese residing in the city still felt they would be quite nervous to have any kind of contact with those people infected with HIV.

It is obvious that many social stigmas concerning HIV will still need to be addressed and fixed. To do this, the Health Ministry has begun a television campaign that endorses the use of condoms for safe sex. In a country where speaking of sex publicly is still regarded as indecent, this is a huge stride. In addition, the ministry is targeting China’s millions of migrant workers by offering them seminars that teach facts about how HIV is spread and that also endorse consistent and effective condom use. The government has also stepped up to the plate. In 2006, they declared that no organization can discriminate against any person suffering from AIDS; in addition, any person who is battling AIDS will receive treatment free of charge.