The “HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment Regulations” announced by Xinhua Net on Feb. 12 defined the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS to receive health services. It points out that no health agency can turn away patients from treatment because they are either HIV positive or have AIDS.

If patients because of their HIV status are turned away from receiving treatment for other diseases, or if health service agencies fail to provide counseling, testing and treatment services, the regulation calls for severe penalty measures. At and above the county level, governing agencies may be required to change its practices, report for reprimand or may lose agency or individual license of operation; criminal offenses will face criminal prosecution.

According to the ministry of health, one of the most challenging areas of HIV/AIDS prevention is the lack of knowledge about HIV/AIDS, there is low awareness of self protection, and societal discrimination is still very prevalent.

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