On Tuesday, Vice Minister of Health Wang Longde, who heads the
administrative office of the AIDS Prevention Work Committee, gave a
briefing on prevention and control of significant epidemic diseases
at a press conference sponsored by the State Council Information
Office.
Wang said that some Chinese scientists have calculated the
number of HIV/AIDS-infected people in the country at one million;
the government's official calculation last year was 840,000. The
discrepancy is the result of the two statistical methods, and the
latter is considered more scientific.
The first method is a calculation made by Chinese experts
according to infection rates in a high-risk group. The second
method is that commonly used around the world, and with the support
of the World Health Organization and experts from the UN AIDS
Planning Office, China conducted an in-depth survey and arrived at
the new figure.
Wang said that unprotected sex is a major transmission route of
HIV/AIDS. In some African countries, AIDS has spread quickly
through sexual transmission, and the rate of sexual transmission in
China continues to rise. The rate of HIV infection was 0.1 percent
among prostitutes in 1997, climbing to 0.6 percent in 2001.
However, because of the private nature of sexual activity, it is
difficult for the government to obtain information and develop
effective means to control this route of transmission.
Interdepartmental cooperation within the government and with
non-governmental organizations is necessary.
The Ministry of Health must educate the public on the dangers of
sexual transmission of AIDS and encourage sexually active people to
limit their numbers of partners. Use of condoms by sex workers
should also be vigorously promoted.
(China.org.cn June 29, 2004)