China's Minister of Health recently announced intervention measures to stem the spread of HIV/AIDS via prostitution and intravenous drug use, the nation's two main routes of HIV transmission. The measures include free condom distribution at entertainment venues and provision of clean syringes or methadone treatment for IV drug users, according to Hao Yang, director of the ministry's HIV/AIDS Division. The strategies have already been undertaken in pilot trials in some regions over the past few years. The central government vowed to support the measures.

With the assistance of international and nongovernmental groups, the Health Ministry has supplied drug users in 17 regions with new syringes since 2001. Methadone treatment programs began in March at special stations in local disease control centers in eight sites, including Yunnan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Guizhou and Sichuan. And condoms have been distributed in a number of entertainment venues on the mainland.

The ministry hopes the pilot initiatives will be more widely followed, in addition to the further dissemination of HIV prevention and control awareness. For example, Hubei province has promised to have condom-dispensing machines in all entertainment venues and hotels by 2006.

In a recently released document, the State Council urged health, public security and other department officials to work more closely to prevent the spread of AIDS. The document stressed for the first time that HIV/AIDS prevention and control would be key indices for evaluating the achievements of local officials.

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