BEIJING, June 12 (Xinhuanet) -- Prostitution and drug use are forbidden in China, but a new controversial national Health Ministry plan will intervene to help prostitutes and addicts avoid HIV infection.

    "Intervention on high-risk groups is very crucial and urgent to HIV/AIDS prevention and control today. Health Ministry's plan is definitely instructive to the work of local governments at all levels," said Li Chaoliang, deputy director of HIV/AIDS prevention and control office of southwest China's Yunnan Province.

    According to the plan, local health authorities should educate prostitutes and promote condoms usage. Sufferers of sexually transmitted diseases should be given standard medical treatment and free condoms.

    The new regulation also stipulates that information about HIV and AIDS should be disseminated in areas frequented by homosexual males and their partners. Intravenous drug-users should also be encouraged to practice safe sex and use condoms.

    Currently, China has 840,000 HIV carriers including 80,000 AIDS patients. The epidemic has spread throughout the country and is transferring to common people from high-risk groups, such as prostitutes, drug users, homosexuals and migrant workers.

    However, some say it is hypocritical to care for the prostitutes and drug users while public security authorities are cracking down on prostitution and drug abuse.