Yunnan to boost AIDS test for workers
(Agencis)
Updated: 2005-03-23 11:07

China's southwestern province of Yunnan will require annual AIDS tests for people working in hotels, nightclubs and other entertainment outlets, the official Xinhua News Agency said Tuesday.

A Chinese woman handing over a poster promoting condom use ahead of World AIDS Day at a bar district in Beijing, China. China's southwestern province of Yunnan will require annual AIDS tests for people working in hotels, nightclubs and other entertainment outlets, the state Xinhua News Agency reported Tuesday.[AP]

Under the new rules, announced Monday and effective immediately, those testing positive will be fired, Xinhua said, citing the text of the regulation.

But Wang Yinsheng, an official with the Yunnan AIDS Prevention Center, said health authorities wouldn't insist that those found to be infected be fired. They could instead be moved to jobs not involving contact with the public, he suggested.

The free tests are meant to identify people with HIV and AIDS in order to provide them with treatment and curb the disease's spread, said Wang.

"Identifying this special group of people helps to reduce the chance of spreading and helps them to get timely treatment," Wang said.

Those who test positive for HIV/AIDS or for venereal diseases would be denied a certificate of good health, without which they cannot legally work in the hospitality or service industries, Xinhua said.

Employees of hotels, bath houses, beauty salons, night clubs and other entertainment venues are covered by the rules, which appeared to be an implicit official recognition of the role such facilities play in the country's thriving sex industry.

Bordering on Southeast Asia's drug-producing Golden Triangle, Yunnan has China's second largest population of registered AIDS sufferers _ 18,000 according to official figures. The province has taken some of the country's most aggressive measures, including promoting condom use and clean needles and setting up AIDS centers.

Most of the 1 million people infected with HIV/AIDS in China became so through intravenous drug use, although unsanitary blood-buying schemes mainly in the central province of Henan _ the worst affected area _ accounted for large numbers as well.

Henan has also mandated AIDS tests for people in service industries.

China for years hid its AIDS outbreak but has become increasingly open amid warnings the disease is spreading from high-risk groups to the general population.

The U.N. AIDS agency says the number of infected people in China could rise to 10 million by 2010 unless urgent action is taken.

Since last year, health officials have offered a free AIDS test to anyone who wants one and free treatment for the poor. Health officials are also now encouraging pregnant women to be tested.

Despite the new openness, infection still carries a heavy stigma. Few AIDS sufferers have gone public and entire villagers have been shunned after residents were found to have contracted the disease.

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