CRI NEWS

Chinese President Shakes Hands with AIDS Patients

2004-12-1 8:50:18 CRIENGLISH.com

On the eve of the World AIDS Day, Chinese President Hu Jintao shook hands with AIDS patients in a Beijing hospital Tuesday afternoon.

The president told the patients at You'an Hospital to be confident in their fight against AIDS.

"Both the government and society will truly care about you and help you in an all-out manner. I hope you will further enhance your confidence and courage to combat and overcome the disease."

During his one-hour stay, Hu Jintao visited two AIDS wards and reached out for handshakes with the patients inside as soon as he entered the rooms. He wore a red silk ribbon symbolizing love and care on his chest.

Hu Jintao's move comes one year after Premier Wen Jiabao's landmark handshake with three hospitalized AIDS patients in Beijing on World AIDS Day.

It's thought that gesture gave a clear and strong signal that the top leadership is committed to curb the spread of AIDS and dispel discrimination against HIV/AIDS victims.

( Following Premier Wen's highly-acclaimed handshake last December, AIDS prevention and the welfare of HIV/AIDS victims, once a largely-neglected and even taboo topic for many Chinese officials, has attracted much attention from both central and local governments.

The latest statistics show that China's central budget for AIDS control and prevention has soared to 390 million yuan, or 47 million US dollars in 2003. That's up from a mere 15 million yuan, or 1.8 million dollars in 2001.

The increased funding was used in newly-launched government projects that provide free HIV/AIDS test for citizens, free treatment for poor HIV carriers and AIDS patients, as well as clean syringes and drug substitutes for drug addicts. )

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