It is good news that the government is planning to separate
prisoners diagnosed with HIV/AIDS so that they can receive better
care. This is apart from the free medication the country provides
for all citizens testing positive for HIV/AIDS.
The plan being jointly drafted by the ministries of public
security, health and justice sends a message that consideration of
human rights has been integrated into the custody of prisoners.
A special program has already been put into practice in five
prisons for special care of prisoners with HIV/AIDS, and it will be
introduced to all prisons nationwide.
It is indeed a problem for police and prison personnel to take
care of sentenced prisoners or suspects who are confirmed as being
infected with the virus.
On the one hand, the psychology of these prisoners or suspects
may be abnormal. Some of them scratch police officers or even try
to stab them with needles in their attempt to use the disease as a
weapon to dodge punishment.
On the other hand, police officers and prison guards lack
special training in both knowledge and skills in handling people
with HIV/AIDS, who are both prisoners and patients. It is
impossible to treat them only as prisoners or only as patients.
Some police departments choose to release them. But there is a
great danger when they are at large because they may commit more
crimes, thinking that as HIV/AIDS patients they will never be
jailed. Equally serious, some may spread the virus to others.
There are instances of HIV/AIDS patients intentionally spreading
the virus to others. There are also thieves, who, reportedly,
intentionally contract the virus with the assumption that as
HIV/AIDS patients, they will never be jailed no matter how illegal
their activities are.
Putting such prisoners in separate wards and giving them special
care serves both justice and ethical treatment of prisoners as
patients.
We face another challenge in spreading knowledge about AIDS
prevention and the importance of using condoms to those working in
recreational venues. Some worry that we may encourage the illegal
sex business by doing so, but leaving sex workers vulnerable to the
virus is against ethical principles.
Fortunately, a growing number of localities understand the
importance of education in AIDS prevention for those most at
risk.
(China Daily April 5, 2007)