Three volunteers who work for a needle exchange program in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region were awarded the 2005 Barry & Martin's Prize Friday for their participation in the AIDS prevention and control efforts.

The three were selected from among 102 who volunteered to participate in the needle exchange program for drug users in the autonomous region.

Some of the volunteers are HIV-infected and they have worked hard, through cooperation with the local health and public security departments, to prevent the spread of the virus among drug users.

The communicable disease hospital affiliated to the Xinjiang disease prevention and control center, which gave free medical treatment to poverty-stricken HIV-infected people, shared the honor with the three volunteers.

Initiated by Barry & Martin's Trust in Britain, the prize is set to encourage and praise those who have made substantial contributions to AIDS prevention, treatment and related educational work.

So far five medical workers in China have received the awards.

Martin Gordon, chairman of Barry & Martin's Trust, said both the three volunteers and the hospital have made extraordinary achievements in AIDS prevention and control and he hoped that they can become role models in Xinjiang.

He also said the trust will strengthen its cooperation with Xinjiang against the fatal disease.

By the end of 2005, Xinjiang reported 11,990 HIV infection cases, and 85 AIDS patients lost their lives.

(Xinhua News Agency March 6, 2006)