The revised "Medical checkup standards for Civil servants enrollment (trial)'' has been published online. Compared with the original one there are great amendments for the revised one. The restricted stipulation "HIV/AIDS carriers are not qualified'' has been cancelled. That is to say HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) /AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) carriers can apply for civil servants. Experts point out it is not only in conformance with China's policy for nondiscrimination against the carriers, but also becomes compatible with internationally accepted practices.

HIV/AIDS carriers are deleted from "unqualified listing''

The Ministry of Personnel published online in August the "Medical checkup standards for Civil servants enrollment (trial)'' in hopes of gaining comments. Many net friends suggested, "nongonococcal urethritis is easy to be cured and not disseminated via sex; the unqualified stipulations of HIV/AIDS carriers are in conflict with the existing policy''. Therewith the ministry deletes the listed "nongonococcal urethritis and HIV/AIDS carriers are unqualified'', and only reserves the typical diseases including gonorrhea.

Adopting netizens' suggestions and being compatible with internationally accepted practices

As for the amendment, Xu Keyi, chief physician with Beijing Ditan Hospital, director with Beijing AIDS Clinical Research Center and member of the AIDS experts consulting committee under the Ministry of Health, pointed out the transmitting way of AIDS is as same as hepatitis B and both are restricted to blood and sex transmission. As hepatitis B carriers have been listed as qualified, then, the HIV/AIDS carriers should have the same treatment. That's very reasonable and normal. He said although the number of HIV/AIDS carriers is much less than that of the hepatitis B carriers, many of them have met with discrimination and unfair treatment. When making the medical checkup standards for civil servants, the State can adopt the suggestions of all social circles including common net friends and have made the amendment, which is a great progress.

Professor Xu Keyi said so far foreign countries have legalized "nondiscrimination against HIV/AIDS carriers. All professions excluding the special trades of infant education can enroll them.

Terms explanation:

AIDS patients: AIDS patients are those who have been infected with AIDS virus for a longer time (generally about five to seven years and the time has not been fixed yet) and have entered into the period of onset. There are some 80,000 HIV/AIDS-positive patients registered in China.

HIV/AIDS carriers: HIV/AIDS carriers are those who have been infected with AIDS virus but have not entered into the period of onset. Part of them may not be taken bad for a long period of time or their illness is delayed by medical intervention. There are some 760,000 HIV/AIDS carriers registered in China.

By People's Daily Online