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Over a third of people in China believe HIV/AIDS carriers deserve the virus because of their immoral behavior.

That’s according to a survey carried out in 6 major cities of China by UNAIDS.

To eliminate this kind of stigma associated with the disease, a group of HIV positive people are taking to the airwaves in a new program on China’s National Radio Station.

The show being launched in February will see HIV carries talk about their personal experiences.

Grace Wu in Beijing meets some of the presenters.

“When I first found out that I was HIV positive I felt as if my life had fallen apart. The world became a dark place- grey and meaningless. The idea that my life could be counted in years or even days despairs me tremendously.”

In 2005, close to her 30th birthday she found out her husband had infected her with the virus.

Living in remote Southern China she says there was no one that she could talk to.

“I started making up all sorts of excuses so that I take leave from work to deal with the illness. It was really frustrating. Finally I was so fed up I made up a big lie, telling my parents and my boss that I had tuberculosis and needed to go to Beijing for treatment. That’s when I left behind my life in my hometown and came to Beijing.”

It was in Beijing that she was able to reveal her heavily guarded secret.

Going by a new name Hu Tiantian joined Positive Talk, a project initiated by the UNAIDS China office.

It organizes talks by HIV positive people at universities and community events on how to prevent the spread of the virus.

Now Hu Tiantian is about to take on a much being audience as host of Positive Talks Program on China National Radio.

The weekly one hour program will reach an estimated audience of 300 million people across China.

Yang Wenyan the deputy editor-in-chief of the radio station says there is great need for the show.

“Currently more than 110,000 people in China have been confirmed as being HIV positive. One famous saying is that people don’t die from disease, but from ignorance. Positive Talk provides the platform to enhance the knowledge of HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment.”

Health Workers say widespread stigma and the shame associated with the disease is seriously hampering prevention and treatment efforts.

Wu Zunyou is the director of the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention of STD and AIDS.

“This program is putting a face of HIV/AIDS, by telling human stories of how such people deal with HIV/AIDS in their daily lives. That will certainly make people to listen, to think, and to understand.”

Dr. Bernhard Schwartlander is the UNAIDS China Office Country Coordinator.

He says that besides putting the 'human' face to the HIV epidemic; he expects the program will trigger discussions on other AIDS-related problems too.

“AIDS can be an engine for society for a change because AIDS touches on so many elements in the society, the use of drugs, sexuality. So I would hope the radio program can actually trigger discussions especially for young people so that they can learn about the risks of such dangers and how to move on.”

But there is a long way to go.

When Hu Tiantian takes to the airwaves as a host of Positive Talks, she says she will still not be using her real name.

“I would never release my real name or my hometown in the program, because my parents nor most of my friends in my hometown know that I am HIV/AIDS positive. I don’t want people I know to worry about me or judge me.”

She is in constant fear of being found out. But she is hopeful that things will change.

“Perhaps we need to work for five or ten more years to make it a completely open discussion. But, I have my faith that this will happen.”