China Says 10 Million in Country Could Be HIV-Positive By 2010

China's government has echoed the UNAIDS prediction that the country could have 10 million HIV-positive people by 2010 without swift and effective action, Reuters AlertNet reports (Reuters AlertNet, 10/23). UNAIDS has long issued the warning of a growing HIV epidemic in China. The government has said that 840,000 people are living with the disease in the country; however, international experts and advocates say the actual number of HIV-positive people in China probably is between one million and 1.5 million (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 9/6). "If the preventive measures are slack, the number of people infected by HIV could reach 10 million by 2010," Dai Zhicheng, director of the Ministry of Health's Committee of AIDS Experts, said to the Xinhua Daily Telegraph on Monday. Dai added that the number of HIV-positive people "could be kept under" 1.5 million with the right action and sufficient funds (Reuters AlertNet, 10/23). To curb the spread of HIV, China has launched a campaign to promote condom use, safe injection practices and care for AIDS patients. The government offers no-cost check-ups and medical treatment for HIV-positive people, as well as no-cost education for their children, according to Dai (China Daily, 10/23).

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