Seventy-six officials from Henan Provincial government, central China, will be stationed in villages, which are seriously affected by the deadly AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) virus.

The officials, dispatched by provincial government departments, such as the health and finance bureaus, will work in villages with high incidences of AIDS for one year to help improve AIDS prevention and treatment systems and to strengthen infrastructure construction.

They will supervise village authorities to offer free medicine for AIDS carriers, free and anonymous AIDS tests for villagers, free education for orphans of AIDS carriers and to take care elderly people who have lost children to AIDS.

The 76 officials will be divided into 38 pairs and posted on Feb. 18 after receiving AIDS prevention training.

(Xinhua News Agency February 16, 2004)