Chinese medical institutions are not allowed to refuse HIV/AIDS patients for any reason, central government authorities said on Friday.

Local health authorities will strengthen supervision of practices and deal with violations, said a National Health and Family Planning Commission statement.

A recent circular jointly issued by the commission and five other central government departments demanded more efforts to protect the rights of those with HIV so they receive proper treatment, according to the statement.

Hospitals should provide treatment and if a patient is diagnosed with the HIV/AIDS infection, the institution that first received them should be responsible for treating them, the statement quoted the circular as saying.

The circular also told medical institutions to improve their work in testing, advising, diagnosis and treatment as well as prevention of mother-to-child transmission.

The document told hospitals to shorten the period of time between diagnosis and treatment to ensure anti-virus therapy. There should be immediate intervention in mother-to-child transmission cases.

Hospitals may try to use traditional Chinese medicine to bring down the mortality rate of the disease, the circular said.

The authorities want improvements in training and occupational protection for medical workers to reduce their exposure to risks. Those exposed to the virus in professional practices should be well compensated and looked after.

The circular said by the end of June, all treatment fees for rural people who have been infected should be covered in the rural medical insurance scheme.