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More media coverage is being paid to the HIV/AIDS situation in China, especially after a gathering of leading officials, scientists, medical workers and activists in the field occurred in Beijing on November 10.
By official estimates, China has 840,000 people carrying HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, and about 80,000 AIDS patients.
Despite the fairly large groups of HIV carriers and AIDS patients, the epidemic is mostly confined to high-risk groups, such as drug users, prostitutes and users of blood products. And it has yet to spread widely in the rest of the nation.
The Chinese Government is well aware of such perspectives, and the central and local governments have allocated 6.8 billion yuan (US$822 billion) to establish and improve disease prevention and control mechanisms in provinces. Each year a special fund of more than 200 million yuan (US$24 million) is channeled into HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment.
Since April, free medicine to poor AIDS patients has been delivered in regions hit hardest by the virus.
Just as the impacts of AIDS reaches social and economic fields of society, effective prevention also requires united efforts from virtually all sectors.
Key factors needed include public education, affordable drugs, medical training for healthcare workers in hospitals and the public health system, monitoring and evaluation, care for orphans, measures to stop mother-to-child transmission, a comprehensive care framework and research into vaccines and a cure.
None of these things can be achieved with the single hand of any institution not health officials, not medical workers or the government.
The fight against HIV/AIDS requires the participation of as many parties as possible.
As former US President Bill Clinton said as a co-chair of the advisory board of International AIDS Trust, the AIDS problem is manageable and preventable though we must wage it on all fronts with tenuous determination, utmost patience and tactful skills.
The uniting of the world around the AIDS epidemic is without prior example. As the number of AIDS cases around the world rapidly increases, nations are showing great focus in battling this common enemy attacking rich and poor countries the same.
By 1989, almost every nation on earth had established a program educating its people about AIDS, according to Jonathan Mann, director of the World Health Organizations (WHO) International Program on AIDS. At that time, 143 countries had reported one or more AIDS cases.
In addition to national AIDS programs, working together internationally has begun. Through open exchanges of scientific facts as well as support of international organizations such as the World Health Organization, all nations can join efforts to fight against this life-threatening disease. According to WHO, this international effort has produced two critical developments: first, there is an amazing level of worldwide focus, using world scientists and international sharing of human and economic resources to fight AIDS. Second, the work of governments, organizations, and businesses has been followed by the very high activity of people - as singles, families, and communities.
The Influence of AIDS
The rise of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) around the earth has represented a major challenge to medical progress both in developed and in less - developed countries. The past forty years saw great success in the control of spreading diseases and great strides toward achieving health for all by the year 2000 (a major WHO goal) through improved basic health care, food, cleanliness, and immunization(免疫) programs.
Yet, because of its sudden start and rapid spread, AIDS could soon wipe out this progress. By the end of 1988, more than 130,000 cases of AIDS were reported, but, because of under reporting, there may actually be more than 350,000 cases. Also, at least five million persons likely have the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (艾滋病病毒), which causes AIDS. That means as many as 400,000 new cases of AIDS could occur in the next few years - more than doubling the present total. Caring for AIDS patients could seriously stress economic resources even in richer countries.
Preventing one case of AIDS means preventing many future cases, while preventing a case of measles(麻疹) or malaria(疟疾) in Africa would have little effect on its spreading, since those diseases are already common in many countries. Resources devoted to AIDS testing, care, and education could also be used to battle other, more-known diseases in developing countries.
Stopping the Spread
AIDS spreads only in limited ways and can be prevented through informed and mature behavior. Encouraging such behavior depends on understanding the different ways AIDS is spread around the world. AIDS spreads in three basic ways: first, through sexual intercourse(性交); second, through contact with diseased blood; and third from an HIV mother to her baby. The actual patterns of spreading of the AIDS virus change from culture to culture.
Spreading of AIDS in North America, Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand and parts of Latin America occurs most often among homosexual(同性恋) or bisexual(双性恋) men and intravenous (IV) (静脉内注射的) drug users(吸毒者), most often in city areas. Heterosexual(异性之间的) spreading is low, but there is danger that the spread of AIDS from male(男性) IV-drug users to their female(女性) partners could increase the appearance of AIDS in the heterosexual population.
In sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America, particularly the Caribbean, most cases occur among heterosexuals, and spreading from mother-to-child is common. Spreading through homosexual contact and IV-drug use almost does not exist.
In Eastern Europe, northern Africa, the eastern Mediterranean, Asia, and most of the Pacific, fewer cases of AIDS, usually among drug users, have been reported thus far. The WHO estimates that Bangkok, Thailand IV-drug users having the AIDS virus increased from less than 1 percent in August 1987 to 30 percent one year later.
Reaching Out
WHO believes that, as AIDS becomes more common, the disease promises to unite the world to a degree never seen before. In just two years, the international plan against AIDS has grown from ideas to practice, from speeches to action. WHO is certain that, together, we will triumph over AIDS rather than allow the disease and the fears, worries, and prejudices(偏见) which go with it to overpower us.
The World AIDS Day is confronted with a gloomy picture that shows the deadly virus is not abating, but spreading even faster.
Deaths and new cases of infection have reached unprecedented highs in 2003 and are likely to rise still further, according to a report jointly released last week by the United Nations and the World Health Organization (WHO).
This year, some 5 million people have been infected, bringing the total number of people living with HIV/AIDS to 40 million worldwide. At the same time, some 3 million died of the disease.
The epidemic continues to expand, far from reaching a plateau, health experts warn.
While Sub-Saharan Africa remains the worst affected region, the Asia-Pacific area - home to 60 per cent of the worlds population - is shaping up as the new battleground in the fight against the disease, the report indicates.
Unless effective action is taken, some countries in the region may face major epidemics.
China may become one of them should the country not be responsive to the crisis.
Latest statistics put the number of people with HIV/AIDS in China at 840,000, including 80,000 AIDS patients.
Worse, the momentum for further spreading of the numbers is continuing, and may well be accelerating.
Though the current prevalence in the country is still low, the increased infection rate plus the vast population in the nation points to a possible catastrophic explosion in cases in the absence of stepped up efforts to fight the disease.
Chinese AIDS experts have raised the alarm that people living with HIV/AIDS may soon soar to 10 million by 2010 without efficient prevention methods. While the number could be trimmed down to 3 million if prevention methods work, action, and only action, can make the difference.
Due to ignorance and lack of commitment among some, the disease has already caused great human suffering, economic losses and social devastation. Yet waiting ahead could be losses multiplied exponentially if the virus is not kept at bay.
The situation is grave, and the challenge is tough. China cannot afford a delay in making a serious commitment to the fight and taking action.
Initiatives have indeed been rolled out, and they must be followed.
Executive Health Vice-Minister Gao Qiang recently pledged that the government will provide free medical treatment to HIV carriers and AIDS patients in rural areas or those among the urban poor. He promised to ensure legal rights and interests of HIV/AIDS victims.
He said that local governments will be held directly accountable if loopholes in their work lead to serious epidemics in their regions. He also called for intensified government intervention into behaviour found to be at risk.
This is viewed as the strongest commitment to date by the government in tackling the epidemic.
The plan, if carried out well, will surely be a great push forward in fighting HIV/AIDS. It should herald more and stronger resolution from the government.
Lack of information on the virus has proven to be a major element that fuels the spread of HIV/AIDS. Aggressive campaigns should be undertaken to promote knowledge about HIV/AIDS to even people in the most remote areas, especially among illiterates and those practising unsafe sexual behaviour.
More important, efforts from all walks of life are needed to create a friendly atmosphere for people living with HIV/AIDS.
Prejudice, rejection, hurt and ostracism are some of the most painful parts of HIV infection which even a miracle drug can not overcome, a WHO official explained.
Stigma and discrimination constitute one of the greatest barriers to preventing further infections, providing adequate care, support and treatment and alleviating the epidemics impact.
The same sort of national commitment and resources used to fight SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), if used toward fighting HIV/AIDS, should help us find an effective way to combat this disease, too.