AIDS in China 90% unaware they have it

Main Category: HIV / AIDS
Article Date: 02 Mar 2004 - 0:00 PDT


Only 10% of Chinese people who have AID/HIV know they have it. This is according to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention in the USA). The CDC has just launched an anti-AIDS campaign in China (worth $15 million)

This is part of the Global AIDS Program. It is concentrating on 25 countries, one of which is China.

The central Chinese province of Henan has seen a large outbreak of AIDS. Farmers have been selling blood through government-run schemes that were run unsafely.

The Program is targeting ten provinces in China, including Henan.

This is a joint venture between the American CDC and China's CDC. They will use the $15 million to improve treatment, care and support for AIDS/HIV patients. Their aim is to prevent HIV infections as well.

China's main problem with regards to AIDS/HIV is getting reliable data. The authorites just do not know how many people in China have AIDS/HIV. This joint venture will hopefully help the Chinese authorities resolve that problem.

Estimates vary between 840,000 (official Chinese estimates) to 10 million by the end of this decade (international experts).

Most authorities do not know how many cases there are. Unfortunately, those that know are frightened of revealing the true figures. They fear there could be financial loss (less investment coming into the area).

Chinese and American officials say that of the people they have tested for AID/HIV and had a positive result (had HIV/AIDS), only a tenth knew they had it before the test.

If 90% of AIDS/HIV sufferers do not know they have it, they are more likely to infect others, said an official.

In the USA, 70% of AIDS/HIV sufferers know they have it. In the UK/France/Germany this figure is even higher (of those who know they have it).

Routine screening is already beginning to take place in China's health service. However, the results are being kept from the sufferers, says the CDC.

They need more anti-retroviral treatments, said officials. These are crucial for the tests.

AIDS/HIV is a taboo subject in China. This does not help the task of finding and helping sufferers.

In order to really prevent an AIDS catastrophe in China, the authorities will have to take drastic action immediately.

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