That wind may be changing.
Beijing opened its first clinic for gays on Thursday to offer free check-ups for Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and AIDS.
The clinic will also provide free treatment for STD carriers for one year.
People found to be with AIDS will be referred to a national free treatment program.
China boasts that its free AIDS treatment covers 25,000 patients in 623 counties in 31 provinces. The country has spent 288 million yuan ($36 million) on free anti-AIDS treatment.
However, are gay people the only ones who attract AIDS and STDs? Isn't Beijing showing a severe prejudice here by offering a clinic for gays with STDs and AIDS?
What about the rest of the population that contracts this disease? Where should they go in China for treatment?
What do you think?
Well, considering many of them got it via 'doctors' looking for blood, I suspect many are a bit reserved about trusting China's medicare.
That said, I think it is just the emphasis of the article, and I don't think that China is discriminating who will get access to the free treatment. The doctors on the other hand... that's a whole other grouping of posts.
Posted by: The Humanaught | October 29, 2006 11:11 PM | Permalink to Comment