China is considering a plan to monitor gay Chinese, along with
truck drivers for sexually transmitted diseases (STD), in an effort
to control the spread of the AIDS virus, according to health
authorities.
The Ministry of Health is soliciting opinions from local disease
control and prevention centers on a national plan for monitoring
STDs, the ministry said.
According to the plan, monitoring stations will survey and
monitor the incidence of STDs among prostitutes, gays and
long-distance drivers and test their knowledge about STDs.
The five sexually transmitted diseases being monitored include
gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia trachomatis, human papillomavirus
and genital herpes.
The number of sexually transmitted infections diagnosed in China
is on the rise. China reported 126,400 cases of syphilis in 2005,
an increase of 35.79 percent compared with 2004 and 180,300 cases
of gonorrhea.
In China, homosexuality, while no longer officially considered a
mental disorder, is still an off limits subject for many
people.
Chinese health authorities estimate there are 5 million to 10
million gay men in the country and about 80 percent of them admit
to knowing nothing about the spread HIV/AIDS, according to survey
conducted in 2004.
According to a report jointly released by the Ministry of
Health, UNAIDS and the World Health Organization in January, gay
men are a high risk group for contracting the AIDS.
China reported 75,000 new HIV infections last year.
The monitoring plan requires local CDCs keep STD data
confidential and report it only to the national CDC.
The provinces or regions with the highest incidence of STDs are
Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shanghai and Jiangxi.
A report on the situation of STD prevalence in China, released
by China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention under the
Ministry of Health says that more infants are being born with
sexually transmitted infections.
Analysts say that this is mainly because China has a weak
monitoring system which fails to timely and effectively report
STDs.
(Xinhua News Agency August 13, 2006)