South China's
Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region will make more further efforts
to stop its rising HIV/AIDS cases this year, according to the
autonomous regional health bureau.
Last year, 8,625 new HIV cases were reported, bringing the total
number of people infected to 20,604 at the end of 2005, said a
source at the annual regional meeting on AIDS prevention held on
Thursday.
"Infections through unprotected sex are on the rise, yet
intravenous drugs users are still the most vulnerable to the
disease," acknowledged Chen Jie, deputy director of the autonomous
regional diseases prevention and control center.
To slow the spread of the AIDS virus among drug users, Guangxi
plans to increase the number of methadone maintenance therapy
clinics from 15 to 23 and free needle exchange sites to 40 by the
end of this year, said Gao Feng, director of the local health
bureau.
A synthetic narcotic drug, methadone is less addictive than
morphine or heroin and is used as a substitute for these drugs in
addiction to treatment programs. By the end of 2005, China had
built a total of 128 pilot methadone maintenance clinics
nationwide.
Gao also said the region would work hard to promote condom use
among sex workers and the gay community, and help train medical
workers to stop HIV infections through breast feeding and blood
transfusions.
Guangxi spent more than 38 million yuan (US$4.72 billion) on
HIV/AIDS prevention and control last year and nearly all its cities
and counties have AIDS monitoring centers.
The region is ranked third to the southwestern province of
Yunnan and the central province of Henan, as the region has the
most HIV/AIDS sufferers in the country.
The Chinese Ministry of Health said in February this year that
the country reported 144,089 HIV carriers by the end of 2005.
(Xinhua News Agency March 27, 2006)