Free, confidential HIV tests for gay men in Guangdong Province, China

Main Category: HIV / AIDS
Article Date: 11 Oct 2004 - 12:00 PDT

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Gay men in the Guangdong Province, China, are to have free and confidential HIV tests at the AIDS Prevention and Treatment Institute, Guangdong Provincial Centre for Disease Control.

The Vice Presdient of the Institute, He Qun, said that the test results would remain confidential.

The Guangdong Province is one of the most prosperous in China. Experts are concerned that the spread of HIV AIDS could undermine the area's economic growth.

He Qun said between 2 and 4% of the population in Guangdong is gay. He said the Institute wants to research the spread of HIV among gay men.

He Qun added "The odds of homosexual men passing on HIV are five times larger than lesbian women."

Syphilis is another STD which is spreading fast. The province plans to build a syphilis prevention centre. Last year the area had 9,000 officially counted syphilis patients - more than anywhere else in the country.