BEIJING, March 26 (AFP) - Eighty farmers from a village in central China, where many residents were stricken with the HIV/AIDS virus after selling their blood for money, protested outside government offices Tuesday, demanding medicine, a protestor told AFP. 　　 　　Chen Yanjun, an AIDS patient, said the protestors -- all from the village of Wenlou in Henan province -- held a protest from 8 am (midnight GMT) until evening outside the offices of the Shangcai county government. 　　 　　"We need effective medicine. The medicine they give us is useless," said Chen, whose wife died of AIDS last month and who has been tested positive for HIV and is showing signs of AIDS. 　　 　　"We dont plan to go home soon. Going home just means dying." 　　 　　Some 60 police officers stood nearby, Chen said. 　　 　　County officials denied anyone had protested, but nearby residents said they saw about 200 people, including many spectators, gathered outside the government office. 　　 　　"The protestors came on four tractors," said one resident. 　　 　　The protest is the biggest held by AIDS patients to date. In December, four villagers with AIDS, including Chen, were arrested by county police for "disturbing public order when they demanded medication at a local hospital." 　　 　　They were released after several days. 　　 　　The farmers are at the center of one of the most shocking health scandals in China. 　　 　　According to official figures, at least 100,000 people in Henan were infected with the AIDS virus after selling blood from the mid-1980s until the mid-1990s to boost their meager income. 　　 　　They contracted the disease because health officials in Henan allowed blood stations using unsanitary blood-collecting methods to operate. 　　 　　Independent Chinese doctors estimate the number of infected are much higher, and could easily be more than 500,000. 　　 　　Most of the cases occurred in small villages like Wenlou where knowledge of the disease is scant and villagers were poor and desperate for money. 　　 　　The Chinese government initially responded to the crisis with silence and inaction, but following media reports it finally admitted the problem late last year. 　　 　　Local governments have opened a free clinic in Wenlou village, while stationing police there 24-hours a day to keep journalists out and to monitor villagers actions. 　　 　　But villagers said the clinic provides only basic medicine. As they watch family members and fellow villagers die in high numbers, many have begun demanding the government do more. 　　 　　Many also suspect the medicine provided by the clinic is fake. 　　 　　"We want medicine that will make the fever go away," Chen said. 　　 　　Seventy to 80 people from Wenlou died of AIDS last year, while around eight people have died this year, said Chen, who has been one of the most outspoken AIDS patients from the village. 　　 　　020326 　　AF020381

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