China AIDS rate slows, main transmission now sex
The rate of new HIV/AIDS infections in China is slowing and is now mainly being transmitted through sex, China's Health Minister Chen Zhu said on Thursday.
The country is estimated to have 50,000 new infections in 2007, compared with 70,000 in 2005, according to the minister, citing a joint report by the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNAIDS two days before World AIDS Day on December 1.
"At present, the AIDS epidemic in China is spreading at a slower rate," Chen told a news conference. "Sexual transmission is now the main route for the spread."
Of the new infections, 44.7 percent will come from heterosexual transmission, 12.2 percent from men having sex with men, and 42 percent from intravenous drug use, the report said.
By the end of October 2007, a total of 223,501 people had been officially reported to have contracted HIV, including 62,838 people with fully-blown AIDS, Chen said.
However, according to an estimate made by the Ministry, the WHO and UNAIDS, China will have as many as 700,000 people living with HIV/AIDS by the end of 2007, including 85,000 AIDS patients.
The difference between the estimated figures and the official figures is partly due to reluctance by individuals to come forward for treatment, the report said.
"China's HIV epidemic remains one of low prevalence overall, but with pockets of high infection among specific sub-populations," said the 38-page report.
Chen admitted that a number of core challenges remain, including the need for better advocacy and education, improved treatment and care, and more focused education and discrimination reduction.
The Chinese leadership was strengthening its commitment to HIV/AIDS at different levels of the government and among the high risk groups, he said.
The amount spent in 2007 had risen to 944 million yuan (US$126 million), from 854 million yuan in 2006 (US$114 million), Chen noted.
He said more focus would to be put on traditionally marginalized groups, like the gay community and drug users, though he added condom use by sex workers had risen from 14.7 percent in 2001 to 41.4 percent last year.
Over the past several years, the Chinese government has promised anonymous testing, free treatment for the poor and a ban on discrimination against people with the virus.
中国艾滋病感染率降低,目前主要的传播途径是性
中国卫生部长陈竺在周四宣布:中国爱滋病的新近感染率正在降低,并且新近感染主要是通过性传播.
陈部长在12月1日的世界爱滋病日前宣布:据统计,中国2005年有70000个新近感染者,相比之下2007年这个数字降至50000个,此会议由卫生部,世界卫生组织以及UNAIDS共同组织的.
"目前,在中国爱滋病的流行正在以较慢的速度扩散,性传播成为主要的扩散途径."陈部长在一次新闻发布会上这样说.
报告说:在新近感染者中,44.7%是异性传播,12.2%是男性同性恋,42%是静脉吸毒者.
"截止到2007年10月底,官方报告有223501人感染HIV,包括62838发病者."陈部长说
但是,据卫生部,WHO以及UNAIDS估计,中国在2007年底将有700000HIV携带者,其中包括85000个爱滋病病人.
报告还说:官方数字只所以和预计数字不同一部分是因为感染者不愿接受治疗.
长达38页的报告还指出:总体来说,中国的爱滋病现状仍有低度流行,但是在特殊的人群中仍有较高感染率.
陈部长承认,很多巨大的挑战仍然存在,包括加大宣传和教育力度,提高治疗保护措施,并且加强教育,减少犯罪.
他说:中国领导正在通过不同层面的政府努力从而加强对HIV感染者以及高危人群的约束.
陈还指出:这方面的政府投入从2006年的8亿5千4百万($111,000,000)增加到2007年的944,000,000元.
他说:更多的精力将会放在不被关注的人群,比如生活不检点的和吸毒者.他补充到,避孕套的使用已经从2001年的14.7%升至去年的41.4%.
在过去的几年里,中国政府承诺将会进行大规模的调查,为那些贫穷的提供免费治疗并禁止歧视HIV病毒感染者.
