UNAIDS Chief Urges China to Break Taboos

On Monday, UNAIDS Executive Director Peter Piot urged China's leaders to get personally involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS to avoid a major epidemic. The day before China opens its first national HIV/AIDS conference, Piot also urged the government to acknowledge mass infections through illegal blood-buying in central China, which patients say the local government is trying to cover up.

After months of silence, the government admitted in August there was an AIDS problem in Henan and sent teams to investigate and open clinics. But eight HIV patients from Henan villages, some already dying of AIDS, said this weekend they had been given no medicine, information or advice on the disease. "I think it's really a priority for the country to be open about the extent of the problem," Piot said. China admits it has a serious AIDS problem, but top leaders have not become personally involved in the issue, and health officials complain their work is hampered by prejudice, ignorance and government neglect.

While the AIDS conference, organized by the Ministry of Health with UN support, is a sign of greater openness in the central government, not enough is being done at the local level, Piot said. "The AIDS situation has become really serious. China is at the verge of a major epidemic if business as usual continues." The UN said China could have 10 million HIV cases by 2010 unless it acts decisively. Piot urged the central government to use state-controlled media and mass organizations like the women's federation and youth federation to boost AIDS awareness. "What the future will look like, whether there will be 10 million people or 50 million people infected in China, that will depend in the first place on whether the country really wakes up on a massive scale," said Piot.

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