$5 HIV Test Kits Are Now Sold in Vending Machines at Universities Across China

In an effort to raise awareness and prevent HIV cases in China, some universities have started selling HIV test kits in vending machines.

The Chinese Association of STD and HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control (CASAPC) initiated installment of nine specialized vending machines across universities in China. This move is to encourage those who want to get tested but want to remain anonymous.

According to South China Morning Post, although China has a relatively low percentage of HIV positive cases, there are still around 654,000 people who are suffering from HIV/AIDS. Recent reports also highlighted the rise of cases in universities where students between ages 15 to 24 tested positive. There were more than 2,320 cases in campuses last year which is four times more than the results seven years ago.

HIV specialist, Zhao Donghui, said that the whole process remains anonymous.

Students who want to get tested can get the kit for less than $5, which is ten times less less than the original price. The kit requires a urine sample and then is placed or dropped in a specialized drawer for collection.

Staff of CASAPC gathers the kits to run the tests. In order to find out the result, students can log in the organization’s website and enter a personalized code.

In China, there is still stigma when it comes to homosexuality and HIV/AIDS which is closely associated with it. People who tested positive face different kinds of discrimination from work, education, and health care. So, having this kind of anonymous testing is a way to encourage people to get tested without having to face judgment.

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