 |
| Former U.S. President Bill Clinton. (file
photo) |
Beijing, March 29 (Xinhuanet) -- Former
U.S. President Bill Clinton called on Tuesday for compulsory testing of
people for HIV/AIDS in countries that have high infection rates.
The 59-year-old former president said that this test is
"essential to reduce the spread of AIDS." He said that by making people aware of
their HIV status was the only way to make them change their sexual behavior.
Clinton has set up an HIV/AIDS Initiative
foundation, since leaving the White House, to help bring quality medical care
and affordable drugs and tests to sufferers in poor countries. The
foundation is currently working with 22 countries in Africa, the Caribbean
and Asia to provide anti-AIDS drugs to more than a quarter of a million patients
through special drug deals.
According to the Clinton Foundation, more than 40
million people worldwide are estimated to be living with HIV/AIDS but many do
not know they are infected.
Clinton said this year the African kingdom of Lesotho
would become the first country to do universal testing. Lesotho has a populaton
of 2.2 million, of whom 27 percent are HIV-positive.
He said he regarded it as a test case to see whether rapid
tests, costing 49-65 U.S. cents each, and drugs can reduce the 27 percent
infection rate in Lesotho. A budget of 100 million dollars could pay for 200
million tests.
"The whole idea is to treat this as a public health
problem, not as some source of shame or disgrace and to keep as many people
alive as possible," he explained.
He said that in countries with low levels of
infection, compulsory testing would be a waste of money. But once the level of
infection rises to 5 percent, "you're in trouble" and that is when testing
becomes invaluable to reduce the spread of the disease.
Mandatory testing for HIV/AIDS has long been frowned
upon since the first case of the deadly illness was detected two
decades ago because of the stigma attached to the desease and the lack of
treatment for those infected.
(Agencies)
