Shanghai Daily

The Ministry of Health claimed last week that college students and migrant workers are especially prone to AIDS.
Mao Qun'an, the ministry's spokesman, made the judgment at a seminar organized by Qinghua University on Saturday. He provided no statistics to substantiate the claim. He also called for more HIV/AIDS education to be targeted at the two groups.
His words stigmatize college students and migrant workers - even if it was unintentional.
Regardless, it's odd to classify people's propensity to AIDS according to their identity.
Reasonable classification revolves around ways of dissemination - how the disease spreads.
For example, it is known that drug addiction, especially through needle sharing, is the number one way to contract HIV in China.
There's no proof that many college students and migrant workers have a special needle sharing habit. Anybody can get hooked on drugs. All it takes is a simple sniff, a quick injection and a big heart for decadence.
A possible justification of Mao's controversial remark is that a number of college students and migrant workers have been engaging in illegal sex deals.
But again, passionate nights are not reserved for students and migrant workers alone. Why not single out film actors, corrupt officials, business people and pop singers as well?
There is simply no evidence that college students or migrant workers have more liberal attitudes towards sex or are poorly informed about AIDS compared to any other group.
Mao's remark was not well thought-out.
AIDS is a global issue. Anyone can contract it - either through unhealthy ways or passively through a blood transfusion.
Mao was right when he called for more education. Only when people realize how AIDS spreads and why it hurts will society become safer.
Stigmatizing one or two groups of people does not help.
Indeed, college students are young and many migrant workers are poorly educated. But being young or illiterate does not necessarily translate into ignorance.
Have you ever seen well-educated, middle-aged men or women addicted to either sex or drugs? I know some migrant workers and college students who are much more disciplined than many of us in these areas.
AIDS is not like math and literature, where knowledge may be ultimately enjoyed by a privileged few. Education about AIDS belongs to every member of our society.