[NEWS] Over One Hundred Sign Petition Calling on China to Reject Real-Name HIV Testing

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In early February 2012 the Chinese Ministry of Health announced that it intends to introduce so-called “real-name” HIV
testing. The measure aims to help health officials to follow up with those who test positive. Instead, the new policy would discourage many people from getting tested at all.

Asia Catalyst supports the China Alliance for People Living with HIV/AIDS (CAP+), the China Gay Health Forum and many other Chinese AIDS activists in calling on the Ministry of Health to reject real-name testing and strengthen privacy protections at hospitals and testing sites. China’s leaders should pass–and enforce–stronger laws to ban discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS.

See our letter to the Minister of Health, Dr.Chen Zhu here and see our full list of signatories to our online petition after the jump.

 

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[NEWS] British Medical Journal Article on Asia Catalyst/Korekata Report

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By Jane Parry

The Chinese government has been urged to set up a compensation fund for the victims of an illegal blood selling scandal that resulted in thousands of people in central China in the 1990s being infected with HIV. A new report calls for a full and independent investigation into the number of people affected and an official apology to the people affected as well as compensation.

Read the full article here.

[NEWS] First Steps: UN Releases Statement on Drug Centers

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A joint statement cosigned by 12 UN bodies, including UNAIDS, last Friday, called for all “States to close compulsory drug detention and rehabilitation centers and implement voluntary, evidence-informed and rights-based health and social services in the community.” The statement noted that many of the compulsory centers violate internationally recognized human rights standards often involving physical and sexual violence or forced labor. 

Read the full report here.

[NEWS] South China Morning Post on Asia Catalyst/Korekata Report

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By Paul Mooney

An international NGO has issued a report urging Beijing to provide
compensation to tens of thousands of victims of the 1990s HIV-tainted
blood disaster, and arguing a fund is urgently needed as victims have
been unable to get fair compensation on their own.

“China has a historic opportunity to make things right for the victims
of the world’s largest HIV/Aids disaster,” said Sara Davis, executive
director of Asia Catalyst and a co-author of the report.

Read the full article here.

Download the Asia Catalyst/Korekata report.