Facing AIDS

Author: Li Dun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-12-01
Features: Due to a coincidence, the spread of AIDS in China coincided with China's opening and reform. However, this also made the prevalence of AIDS in China reflect many issues in Chinese society. As people came to realize that AIDS is not just a disease that brings disaster to humanity but also a social problem, we proposed the question: Did AIDS become a social problem, or did social problems lead to the current prevalence of AIDS? Since the first AIDS report appeared in China, China's policy response has undergone the following changes: first, proposing to "build a new Great Wall to keep AIDS out of the country," then strictly prohibiting prostitution and drug use, then strengthening blood management, and finally proposing the "Four Frees and One Care." In this process, the reported number of AIDS-infected individuals in China increased from over a hundred to over ten thousand, while the estimated number was hundreds of thousands or even millions. I think if the concepts of "people-centeredness" and "building a harmonious society," as well as the specific policy of "Four Frees and One Care," had been proposed earlier, the number of AIDS-infected individuals in China would not be as high as it is now. Faced with AIDS, the value orientation and response capacity of our society are being tested. What is the nature of the AIDS problem in China? How should the public, government officials, and scholars respond to AIDS? The author reviews the progress and existing problems of AIDS research in China, provides an institutional and cultural interpretation of the uniqueness of AIDS in China, and offers thought-provoking analyses of the current research status, resource allocation, and legal framework. The author calls on the government and the public to pay rational attention to the rights of AIDS patients, rather than just panic, discrimination, or exaggeration.