China on Friday launched a national program focusing on HIV/AIDS prevention and care in the workplace.

The main aims of the program are to raise public awareness of AIDS prevention, protect the employment rights of people with HIV and reduce stigma and discrimination in the workplace.

China's Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MOLSS) is responsible for carrying out the program which is funded by the United States Department of Labor.

Hu Xiaoyi, vice minister of MOLSS, said a great number of Chinese migrant rural workers are vulnerable because they are less aware of HIV/AIDS.

"The education program will target enterprises with large numbers of migrant rural workers and provide relevant training courses," Hu said.

U.S. Embassy Counselor Deborah Selogohn said that the HIV/AIDS workplace education project has been implemented in 23 countries and she was glad to see it launch in China.

Through the program, the U.S. government will help build capacity and share effective approaches in preventing and treating HIV/AIDS and caring for HIV/AIDS sufferers, Selogohn said.

China reported 183,733 HIV and AIDS cases in 2006, up 30 percent from 2005. The increase was partly due to an improvement in case reporting.

Experts from the Ministry of Health estimate that there are 650,000 people living with HIV/AIDS, including 75,000 with AIDS.

Source: Xinhua