'Ignorance' threat to AIDS fight
Source: Agencies |
February 17, 2011, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
IGNORANCE and poor policy coordination threaten China's target of more or less bringing the spread of AIDS under control by 2020, the government said yesterday.
China has between 560,000 and 920,000 people infected with the HIV virus and between 97,000 and 112,000 AIDS patients, according to 2009 Ministry of Health and United Nations estimates.
"AIDS prevention work is a complex and long-term task," the State Council, or the Cabinet, said in a statement.
AIDS is now primarily spread in China through unprotected sex.
"Though there are no vaccines or drugs to cure AIDS, experience at home and abroad proves it can be prevented and controlled," it added.
China will "take further measures to ensure that by 2015 the rapid rise in cases in key areas and among key groups is basically controlled, so that by 2020 the virus is brought under fairly good control."
Authorities should consider increasing the supply of affordable anti-HIV drugs, the statement said.
It also called for tighter measures to ensure blood safety during medical practices.
However, areas of concern remained for prevention work.
"Some localities don't know much about AIDS prevention work and policies are not put into effect properly," the statement added.
The government would step up information campaigns and make condoms widely available in public areas, but not ease up on efforts to crack down on prostitution, it said.
More work would also be put into identifying people infected. "Monitoring and testing are effective methods to control the virus," it said.
China has stepped up the fight against HIV/AIDS in recent years, and senior leaders have met AIDS patients in a bid to tackle the stigma.
China has between 560,000 and 920,000 people infected with the HIV virus and between 97,000 and 112,000 AIDS patients, according to 2009 Ministry of Health and United Nations estimates.
"AIDS prevention work is a complex and long-term task," the State Council, or the Cabinet, said in a statement.
AIDS is now primarily spread in China through unprotected sex.
"Though there are no vaccines or drugs to cure AIDS, experience at home and abroad proves it can be prevented and controlled," it added.
China will "take further measures to ensure that by 2015 the rapid rise in cases in key areas and among key groups is basically controlled, so that by 2020 the virus is brought under fairly good control."
Authorities should consider increasing the supply of affordable anti-HIV drugs, the statement said.
It also called for tighter measures to ensure blood safety during medical practices.
However, areas of concern remained for prevention work.
"Some localities don't know much about AIDS prevention work and policies are not put into effect properly," the statement added.
The government would step up information campaigns and make condoms widely available in public areas, but not ease up on efforts to crack down on prostitution, it said.
More work would also be put into identifying people infected. "Monitoring and testing are effective methods to control the virus," it said.
China has stepped up the fight against HIV/AIDS in recent years, and senior leaders have met AIDS patients in a bid to tackle the stigma.
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