Hubei Province plans to send 10 medical teams with a total of 30 workers to its 21 AIDS-stricken areas to help curb the spread of AIDS in the region.

The teams will begin work at end of this month, according to a working conference held Tuesday.

The medical workers will go to rural areas hit hard by the disease to offer anti-virus treatment and help put an end to AIDS transmission from mothers to their babies.

They will also help train local medical staff for the designated hospital for AIDS patients.

Official statistics show that there were HIV-positive 1,301 people at the end of 2003. The first infected case was found in 1988 in the province.

(Xinhua News Agency March 10, 2004)