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Rights of HIV/AIDS patients spelt out
(China Daily)
Updated: 2006-02-13 05:20
The rights and obligations of HIV/AIDS sufferers and efforts required at
various levels to fight the disease were made pubic in a regulation released
yesterday.
The Regulation on AIDS Prevention and Control, issued by the State Council on
January 18, is due to take effect from March 1.
According to the regulation:
No employer or individual can discriminate against people with HIV/AIDS or
their relatives. Their right to marriage, employment, medical care and education
are protected by law.
For instance, no organization or individual can disclose the names, addresses
work places of people with HIV/AIDS, or their relatives, without permission.
At the same time, victims should fulfil a few obligations, including
informing their sexual partners and doctors and taking necessary measures to
prevent from infecting others. They face civil or criminal charges if they fail
to do so.
Governments above the county-level must lead the prevention and control of
HIV/AIDS.
Governments above the county-level must provide free anti-HIV/AIDS drugs for
rural AIDS patients and underprivileged urban patients, and offer free treatment
and consultation on prevention of the mother-to-baby infection for pregnant
women.
"I am pleased to see the final report, which constitutes a crucial part of
the country's overall anti-AIDS strategy," Joel Rehnstrom, country co-ordinator
of UNAIDS China office, told Xinhua News Agency.
According to latest estimates, China has 650,000 HIV/AIDS sufferers including
75,000 AIDS patients.
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