HIV in China

"Progress has been made in China regarding HIV/AIDS and STD prevention and care. Throughout different provinces and sectors, health education and intervention activities have been conducted. However, recent data indicates that the HIV/AIDS epidemic in China is extremely severe: HIV and STD transmission is progressing rapidly, the number of AIDS cases is increasing quickly, and the spread of HIV transmission among injecting drug users continues unabated."

The above statement from the China HIV/AIDS Containment Prevention and Control Action Plan (2001-2005) indicates both the progress that has already been made regarding HIV/AIDS in China, as well as the challenges ahead.

In 2003, following a joint survey with WHO and UNAIDS, the Chinese government estimated China had about 840,000 HIV infected people including about 80,000 HIV/AIDS patients. This does not include those who have already died. But this large number of infected people has to be considered in the context of China’s extremely large population which is estimated at 1,299 million.

There is a huge under reporting of AIDS cases, especially in the rural areas. This is for a variety of reasons which include a shortage of testing equipment and trained health staff, as well as the continuing stigma.

"Exact figures are difficult to arrive at because government at local levels are very reticent to report on actual cases, a situation compounded by individuals who are reluctant to come forward because of discrimination." -Qi Xiaoqiu, director of China’s Department of Disease Control.

Estimates of future infections are equally difficult. Estimates reported in the state media in March 2003 are that more than 300,000 people in China will become infected with HIV during 2003. Whilst UNAIDS and other organisations estimate that by 2010 there could be a generalised epidemic with between ten and twenty million HIV positive Chinese.