[NEWS] Lesbian Blood Ban Lifted in China, Though Restrictions on Gay Men Stand

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China’s Ministry of Health announced this month that they have lifted the ban on lesbian blood donation put in place in 1988. The lifetime ban on blood donation by gay men will stand.

Blood donations are an important component of the growing public health system in China and were thrown into the spotlight after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. Xian, the director of Beijng-based lesbian organization, Tongyu, applauded the change in guidelines, telling the Global Times “It is also about our dignity and the elimination of blood donation discrimination.”

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[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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