Should an AIDS patient's unit and his closely-related ones be informed of his disease if he is confirmed? How do we protect patient's right of privacy? Prof. Xu Tianmin, president of sexology association of China and a member of expert panel of Ministry of Health discussed the ethical problems on AIDS prevention and treatment at the ceremony marking the 15th anniversary of sexology association of Guangdong Province.

HIV carriers rise by 40 percent annually

Up to April 2004, China has 840, 000 HIV carriers, and 80, 000 AIDS patients; it is estimated that a total of 160, 000 have died of the disease. China is ranked at NO.14 in the world and NO. 2 in Asia in terms of the prevalent AIDS tendency. The number of HIV carriers is increasing by 40 percent every year. China is at the brink of AIDS outburst. Last April, the State Council convened a national working conference, at which the input for AIDS treatment was increased with the AIDS report and management made standardized. In addition, some measures have been taken to tackle the AIDS, i.e. to promote the use of condoms at recreational venues in certain cities, and allow use of Methadone to replace intravenous injection of heroin.

Should we disclose AIDS patients if discovered?

Some ethical problems in AIDS prevention and treatment have caused controversy. Whether an AIDS patient owns right of privacy is a tough problem to handle, according to Prof. Xu.

Experts hold two types of opinions toward the right of privacy for AIDS patients. One group think relatives and close contacts of an AIDS patient ought to be informed without delay provided one is confirmed to be an AIDS patient, for AIDS is an infectious disease. Other experts argue AIDS patients are entitled to right of privacy too. Disclosing the disease to the public usually deals a heavy blow to the patients. In a province of north China, residents once wrote to authority a letter requesting it to expel the AIDS patient.

Prof. Xu thinks certain group people, e.g. relatives and close contacts of the patient ought to be informed. While the privacy of AIDS patients must be protected among the people who are irrelevant to the patient. The medical staff ought to keep patient's case history confidential.

Discrimination: The biggest enemy of AIDS prevention

A survey conducted in nine universities of five districts of Hebei Province found out that 40 percent of the students surveyed think HIV carriers and AIDS patients should be separated and centralized management ought to be adopted. Cuba is the earliest country in the world to adopt a centralized management of AIDS patients. There is an "AIDS village" in Bombay, India too. Some patients protest that loneliness is more dreadful than death.

The public still discriminate and isolate the patients, for they deem that AIDS is a punishment and retribution to promiscuity and bad behavior. They hold that AIDS patients should be separated just like leprosy patients, says Prof. Xu.

People should hold an ethical principle of tolerance and mutual support towards the AIDS patients. The patients' basic rights should be respected. Necessary treatment and assistance shall be given to AIDS patients so that the harm to human beings can be reduced to the greatest extent.

AIDS Day cares for women this year

The UN has found in many countries that female HIV carriers outnumber the male. Physically, women have exposed more mucosa than men and therefore are more easily infected by AIDS. Psychologically, the female are still obedient and subordinate to the male in terms of sex consciousness. Equality has far from being realized. Men's chase after loose women often results in harm to women.

To deal with such situation, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS makes the "Women, Girls and HIV and AIDS" as the theme in 2004, and China has set the theme "care for women, combat AIDS" for the AIDS Day that falls on Dec 1, 2004.

By People's Daily Online