Students show a red ribbon during an event to raise awareness of AIDS at University of South China in Hengyang, central China's Hunan province, Nov. 29, 2023. The World AIDS Day falls on Dec. 1. [Photo/Xinhua]

The overall prevalence of AIDS is kept at a low level in China, with transmission through blood transfusion largely curbed, and mother-to-child and drug-injection transmission effectively controlled, according to the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration.

Monday is World AIDS Day. On the occasion, Xia Gang, deputy director of the administration, said that China has made progress in AIDS control and treatment over 40 years of persistent efforts, with both treatment coverage and virus inhibition rates exceeding 95 percent.

With an improved prevention and treatment system, upgraded technical methods, and more accessible and convenient services, the fatality rate has decreased by 86 percent compared to 2003, Xia noted.

An AIDS prevention and treatment plan for the 2024-2030 period set the goals of bringing the overall infection rate below 0.2 percent in China by 2030, and ensuring that over 95 percent of those infected are diagnosed and aware of their infections in a timely manner.

China also plays a positive role in global AIDS prevention and treatment, sharing its experience and resources with countries most in need of support, said Erasmus Morah, Director of UNAIDS China Office.

However, AIDS prevention and control are still complicated in China, Xia warned. "Some problems still exist, such as a high rate of sexual transmission that stands at over 98 percent, weak awareness of voluntary testing, and poor adherence to treatment after diagnosis," he said.

According to the recently adopted recommendations for formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) for national economic and social development, China aims to increase its public health capacity, strengthen its disease control system, and effectively prevent and control major infectious diseases over the period.

Xia pledged to adhere to a prevention and control strategy focused on prevention, combining prevention with treatment, adopting comprehensive measures, and providing tailored guidance to consolidate the progress made in AIDS control and treatment.