Posted on 12/01/2009 7:38:18 AM PST by John Leland 1789
Shanghai HIV cases on the increase
Cai Wenjun
SHANGHAI reported 886 new HIV carriers and 392 AIDA patients, with 25 fatalities, from January to November 20 this year, the city's Health Bureau said yesterday.
The release of statistics yesterday comes ahead of World AIDS Day today.
Cases positive to HIV tests were 26.5 percent more than for the same period last year.
People from outside Shanghai accounted for 72 percent of this year's new HIV cases, while Shanghainese covered 60.5 percent of the new AIDS patients.
People younger than 45 and men covered the majority of HIV/AIDS cases registered this year.
Unprotected sex was the cause of 63.7 percent of the new HIV cases, the bureau said.
Men who have sex with men covered 26.5 percent of new HIV cases, while drug use accounted for 18.4 percent.
[From the preceding two paragraphs we may be safe to say that many have sex with both men and women. Further, there must be a tainted blood supply to make up the total. ---John Leland]
The bureau said the city had registered 4,828 HIV carriers and 834 AIDS patients, with 194 fatalities, since the first HIV case was reported in 1987 and the first AIDS patient was founded in 1996.
The cities incidence of HIV/AIDS is to in every 10,000 residents, much lower than the national level of five in every 10,000.
The bureau estimated that the real figure for new HIV/AIDS cases would be about 7, 000 in the city by this year's end. Many people, because of the social stigma attached to the virus, fail to report it when they become infected.
"There is still a low prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Shanghai, but chances to become infected are widely available here," said Xu JianGuang, director of the Shanghai Health Bureau.
"We must carry out effective intervention measures and education among key sections of the population including entertainment venue staff, men who have sex with men and drug addicts and promote the availability of condoms in public venues, places where migrant workers gather, residential complexes and office buildings."
Condom-vending machines or free condoms are expected to be available in all public venues before the 2010 Shanghai World Expo starts next May.
The city government is working on four new AIDS prevention and control plans for the Bow, condom promotion for public venues, drug maintenance therapy for expatriates and HIV screening for prisons and detention houses.
All of these plans are under discussion and are expected to be enacted late this month.
(Shanghai Daily)
-------------------------------------------
AIDS battle will persist, Hu says
PRESIDENT Hu Jintao pledged to mobilize the country to improve AIDS/HIV control while taking part in a gathering of volunteers dedicating to preventing the disease in Beijing yesterday, a day before the 22nd World AIDS Day.
It was the fourth time in six years that Hu met medical staff, researchers, AIDS patients and volunteers ahead of the day.
His appearances at such events showcase to the government's resolve to tackle the growing AIDS problems in the country and help remove the social stigma against HIV-positive people.
Yesterday morning Hu visited China National Convention Center, where Beijing volunteers launched a weekly AIDS prevention campaign on November 29 to improve awareness at schools, communities and construction sites.
Pinned with a crimson ribbon on his chest, Hu watched volunteers simulate AIDS peer education programs at the function, logged onto the AIDS control Website named Beijing Red Ribbon and joined them to make red ribbon pins.
Beijing now has more than 50,000 volunteers engaged in AIDS prevention and control work.
Hu said he appreciated their work.
"China still faces a severe AIDS problem and we should mobilize the forces of all social sectors to tackle the problem," he said.
At the function, many young people registered as volunteers.
"I am very proud of being a volunteer in AIDS prevention programs. As a medical student, I am willing to contribute my share to the cause," Liu Dantong, a postgraduate student at a Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, told Hu at the function.
Hu said he admired her devotion.
"There are still tough tasks to prevent and control the spread of AIDS and volunteers have lots of work to do," Hu said.
He called for them to help more AIDS patients and the HIV-positive, especially by working to reduce discrimination against them.
Through a video phone, Hu also spoke with doctors and patients at Beijing's Ditan Hospital, which is known for AIDS treatment.
(Xinhua)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.