Q: The spread of AIDS is quickening in China. What is its current prevalence? What measures has China taken to prevent the spread of AIDS in the country?

A: Since China reported its first case of AIDS in 1985, AIDS has been spreading in the country. According to incomplete statistics, through the end of 2004, 48 percent of counties around China had reported HIV-positive cases or confirmed AIDS cases; the cumulative number of reported HIV-positive cases was 106,990, of which 23,955 were confirmed AIDS cases. These numbers from the health departments account for only 12.7 percent of the total number of HIV cases, which is estimated at 840,000. This estimate was obtained by monitoring stations established throughout the country, especially in some high-risk areas according to the increasing rate of the number of reported HIV-positive cases. The experts make the conclusion after surveillance that China is currently experiencing a relatively steady rise in HIV cases.

Currently, AIDS is spreading in China from high-risk groups such as drug abusers, prostitutes and people who visit prostitutes, into the general population; the proportion of sexually transmitted HIV infections is increasing and the proportion of female HIV cases has increased considerably. Homosexuals have the second-highest rate of infection. Both the incidence and the death rate of AIDS continue to rise, and these numbers could double in 2005.

In terms of AIDS prevention and treatment, the Chinese Government has promised to offer free anti retro-viral medicine to rural AIDS patients and urban AIDS patients with financial difficulty who don't have basic medical insurance; offer free consultations and preliminary screening of AIDS to those who voluntarily go for such services; offer free medicine for HIV-infected pregnant women to help prevent mother-baby transmission as well as free baby-testing reagents; and exempt orphans of AIDS patients from tuition fees. At the same time, China has brought AIDS patients who are experiencing difficulties into the scope of governmental relief and is providing these people with a necessary living allowance according to related regulations, while helping AIDS patients who are able to work to carry out productive activities to increase their income.

To achieve a timely and accurate grasp of the scale and trend of AIDS prevalence, China increased its input in the control of the AIDS epidemic from 120 million yuan (US$14.51 million) to 470 million yuan (US$56.83 million) in 2004, which was spent on the construction of the public health system and on the monitoring and screening of the AIDS epidemic. By the end of 2004, the number of national-level AIDS monitoring posts had grown from 194 in 2003 to 247, and the number of provincial-level monitoring posts had risen to more than 400. Key groups of people being monitored include drug abusers, prostitutes, homosexuals, people who seek medical advice in venereal disease clinics, long-distance bus drivers, people who visit hospitals in anonymity, and pregnant and lying-in women.

In addition, China will further publicize that it offers free treatment to AIDS patients, to dispel the concerns of rural and low-income HIV carriers and the discrimination against AIDS patients, as well as to increase the initiative of high-risk groups to take the tests. Meanwhile, the country will continue to build and train professional teams to deal with HIV and AIDS. The emphasis lies in enhancing HIV/AIDS tests and monitoring in the 10 provinces with the severest AIDS epidemic and 127 demonstrative areas of AIDS prevention and treatment, reinforcing care for HIV-infected persons and actively exploring models of prevention, treatment and administration that are suited to China's conditions.

The State Council established a working committee on AIDS prevention and treatment in February 2004, presided over by a vice premier. There is reason to believe that with the joint effort of all the Chinese people and with energetic international support, we will be able to control the spread of AIDS in China.