PROCAARE: AIDS prevention in China

[procaare@usa.healthnet.org]

Speech made by Professor Chen MinZhang, Minister for health at the workshop
on Intervention of HIV/AIDS in China held in Beijing on 8-11th December 1997

Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

First of all, please allow me, on behalf of the Ministry of Health, to
express my warm welcome and cordial greetings to the experts and scholars
both from home and abroad as well as comrades from the front line of AIDS
prevention. Since the first case of AIDS was reported in 1985 in our
country, great efforts on effective intervention and active exploitation
have been made. Some successful experience has been promote and applied in
the field of intervention. In the recent years, great progress has been made
in the AIDS prevention and control in the whole country, nevertheless,
greater challenge are confronted us. The meeting is conducted at this
conjuncture; therefore, it will be no doubt a great stimulation for finding
a more effective method and tactic.

It is known to all that the AIDS epidemic is spreading at an alarming speed
at global level. Every day, 16,000 cases of new infection of HIV occur,
among which about 50% are women, 10% children. AIDS epidemic does not only
damage the people's physical and mental health, but also affects the
economic development and social stability of the epidemic areas, that's why
it has became the Hotpoint of different governments. In some African
countries, the average life expectancy has been reduced by 10 years, due
to the epidemic of AIDS.

With changing trend in the world, the Asia and Pacific region has become the
center of the AIDS pandemics. Only within several years, India has become
the country with highest incident of HIV infection, while Thailand has leap
to No.6 of the world for the reported AIDS cases. The number of HIV infected
people are rapidly increasing in Viet Nam, Manymar and Cambodia as well as
in other countries. Asia has turned to the area with the highest increasing
velocity of HIV infection.

The HIV epidemiological situation in our country has become very critical.
Since 1994, the reported HIV infection has been doubled for years running,
and the impetus of increasing is not under control. We may say that control
and prevention of AIDS endemic has entered a crucial stage. By adopting
correct policy and effective methods, we will be able to control the
pandemic of HIV infection in China and to avoid the catastrophe, on the
contrast, if not grasping the opportunity, we will not able to escape the
misfortune like that in the African countries. In order to avoid the
catastrophe, we appeal the common efforts rendered by the decision-makers,
professionals and the broad masses. We all know that, although there is not
yet any effective treatment and vaccines for AIDS, it can be prevented,
furthermore, the effective prevention can be done by every individual. The
experiences of the world prove that if the methods of prevention can be
implemented, the spread and epidemic of HIV/ AIDS can be curbed. We
are also aware that although the prevention method itself is not
complicated, due to the political, cultural and traditional and habit
factors, the implementation of prevention will meet this or that kinds of
obstacles. It is my belief that the difficulties can be overcome through
the common efforts and participation of the whole society.

The Chinese Government has always attached great importance to the AIDS
prevention and Control. Our work has received attention and support by the
international community. For many years, a great amount of support has been
rendered in terms of technology and financial resources as well as training
of key professionals by the international organizations such as WHO, World
Bank, UNDP, UNICEF, UNDCP, UNAIDS and EU as well as governments of different
countries. With our common efforts, a series of intervention and
experimental study on intervention on AIDS prevention and control have been
carried out, and better results obtained in certain studies. I wish the
participants take the full use of the symposia to summary good experiences
and then promote them to other areas and departments, and make positive
contribution to the control of HIV /AIDS epidemic in China, Asia and in the
whole world.

I wish the workshop a full success.
------------------------------------------------------

Dr. Joe Thomas
Community Research Program on AIDS,
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
B,7/B. Prince of Wales Hospital 
Shatin, N.T.  
HONG KONG.
Tel:  852-2637-4755, Fax: 852-2645-3098
E-mail: joethomas@cuhk.edu.hk
    http://www.csu.med.cuhk.edu.hk/hkaids/ 

KEYWORDS: EPIDEMIOLOGY, PREVENTION, CHINA
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