Provincial and local health departments are being asked to apply
for funding for HIV/AIDS research as China raises its battle
against the disease to a "comprehensive level."
A recent Ministry of Health (MOH) release said AIDS killed 80
people across China in May, becoming the fourth deadliest
infectious disease after tuberculosis, rabies and hepatitis.
The ministry also issued a circular last week to health
departments across the country seeking research topics related to
the prevention and control of the pandemic.
Any research is encouraged as long as it involves the evaluation
of China's overall strategy and policies on HIV/AIDS control and
prevention, the assessment of the distribution and use of resources
in the anti-HIV/AIDS campaign, and/or the exploration of effective
AIDS education and prevention.
Once approved, funding will be provided by the ministry and the
research should start immediately.
"The emphasis of this year's research is to evaluate the
country's overall strategy and policies on HIV/AIDS control and
prevention," said ministry official Lei Suwen, who is charged with
collecting applications.
"The research will be financed by the Chinese government," Lei
said. He did not know how much would be spent on each research
project or the whole program, or whether funding would be assessed
by need.
Last year, the Chinese government funded research into 11
AIDS-related areas.
A World Health Organization (WHO) official yesterday spoke
highly of this latest effort by China.
"It comes at a very proper time," Zhao Pengfei, senior AIDS
program officer with the WHO's Beijing Office, said.
But Zhao said little had been done by the Chinese government on
the efficient use of HIV/AIDS funding and the most effective way to
conduct AIDS education and prevention, despite the fact that a lot
of money is being injected into the anti-HIV/AIDS cause.
By 2007, the Chinese government would have spent 3.9 billion
yuan (US$474 million) on helping local governments fight the
disease.
The United States also pledged last week to contribute US$35
million over the next three years in a joint effort with China to
combat AIDS.
"So it's of great importance to use funds effectively, but
that's not the case now in many provinces, such as central and
southwest China's Henan
and Yunnan
provinces," said Zhao.
Zhao also warned that the subject of AIDS and safe-sex education
might become a mere formality or slogan, so an assessment is
urgently needed to test the effectiveness of the programs.
Some local health departments have not even received the
circular, and applications for funding must be received by July
15.
Wang Kaili, deputy director of the Disease Control and
Prevention Department in Heilongjiang
Province, said he had not seen the circular yet, but described
the research as "a tough job."
(China Daily June 13, 2005)