World AIDS Day: Fighting HIV/AIDS in Central Chinese village

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China's "AIDS villages" are home to many who have lived with the disease for decades. Some contracted it from selling blood in the 1990s. A 74-year-old country-doctor in Central China's Henan Province has devoted his life to helping them fight the disease. CGTN's Li Jianhua visited such a village.

It may look like a regular Chinese village yet it's not. It's nicknamed as an "AIDS village" since many villagers here have HIV/AIDS.

74-year-old Doctor Wu Zhongren has worked here for over five decades, helping his fellow villagers fight HIVAIDS.

This is one such patient. Specializing in traditional Chinese medicine, Wu checks up on him by feeling his pulse. The medicine is free – sponsored by the Chinese government, but the pills are hard to swallow because of their side-effects.

WU ZHONGREN VILLAGE DOCTOR "We are still relying on imported medications – some from the U.S. Their side effects are strong, like nausea and headaches. As a result, my patients can only take small doses."

Over 100 villagers here are infected with HIV – nearly seven percent of the village's population. To cope with the ordeal, Wu raises some game fowls at home.

WU ZHONGREN VILLAGE DOCTOR "Watching cockfighting helps me forget about my worries and misgivings. The game cheers me up."

One of Wu's top concerns is for his grandson – another AIDS patient. This young man, born with the disease, is living with his grandparents. His mother died of AIDS years ago.

The 22-year old has been taking these pills for over 10 years, an integral part of his life.

MAO MAO AIDS PATIENT "We are like everyone else if we receive proper treatment. Many of us don't fear discrimination. You won't know that I'm HIV positive unless I tell you, and you won't discriminate against us if you don't know. It's only the fear in us that people may find out we are AIDS patients and discriminate against us."

Like any other of his peers, he likes reading and playing mobile games. Mao Mao encourages other AIDS patients to stand up and fight for their lives.

LI JIANHUA SHANGCAI, HENAN PROVINCE "This is just one of China's so-called 'Aids villages'. Many here were born with HIV, mostly because their parents sold blood for a living years ago. It's hard for them to go to school and find jobs, especially if employers find out where they are from. And now they are calling on society to be a bit more open-minded. LJH, CGTN, SHANGCAI, HENAN PROVINCE."