By CGTN's Yan Xue

The International AIDS Candlelight Memorial has been observed across the globe on the third Sunday of May since 1983. The objective of the movement is to mobilize public opinion and generate awareness of ongoing issues surrounding HIV/AIDS. 

Du Cong, founder and chairperson of the Chi Heng Foundation told CGTN's Dialogue that China has taken effective measures to control the disease spreading among homosexuals and drug users, but there are still many areas where efforts are lacking with regards to AIDS.

"Public care is not enough to AIDS patients and their relatives. What else should we do? It depends on the age of people. For students, I definitely think our education system has a very strong responsibility to teach sexual education at school, so that our children can protect themselves. Not because we encourage them to have sex. I think NGOs are doing a job in treatment and prevention and care, but school education which is crucial is a missing part now."

Xiao Fei, a professor from the China Food and Drug Administration Institute of Executive Development pointed out that college students should know that rates of heterosexual transmission of HIV are on the increase, and better awareness about prevention continues to be vital. Besides, he said discrimination to AIDS college students should be paid high attention. 

"We should borrow some examples from developed countries. Some college students might infected with HIV are too afraid of being discriminated to do the test. We should give them the hope that if they are treated early, they can survive like a normal people. We must insist sending them the message that with scientific progress, people living with AIDS and HIV can wait for the day to be cured. Give them hope and make them voluntarily get tested," he said.