More than 60,000 post offices nationwide will start distributing posters and fliers today to educate people on preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Under a program jointly launched by the Universal Postal Union and The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), China will use its far-reaching postal service to spread the message to everyone.

China is among the first countries to participate in the global program that was launched yesterday in Geneva.

Bernhard Schwartlander, country coordinator of UNAIDS China Office, said the fact that China volunteered to take part shows its commitment to fighting the spread of the disease.

He said about 50,000 people are infected with HIV in China each year - some 140 every day. For every person who becomes infected, another 600 will have an elevated risk of being exposed to the disease.

"Each of these could be avoided," Schwartlander said.

Hao Yang, deputy director of the disease prevention and control bureau under the Ministry of Health, said making people aware of what they can do to protect themselves and others is "the key solution" to minimizing the threat of HIV/AIDS.

(China Daily July 8, 2009)