The number of people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in Shaanxi
has increased sharply, putting officials and experts in the
northwest inland province on high alert.
Sixty-nine HIV positive people were reported between January and
September, one and half times the number reported last year. Senior
provincial officials warned that the effects of the illness could
seriously threaten the province.
"Shaanxi has had reports of AIDS in all of its 10 prefectures,
showing a severe situation in prevention and control," said Fan
Bing, deputy director of the Shaanxi Provincial Health Bureau.
According to local departments' statistics, Shaanxi has a total
of 263 people with HIV, of whom 97 have AIDS, while 45 had died by
the end of September.
Among those with HIV, 145 were local residents while the rest
are migrant workers. They lived mainly in the provincial capital of
Xi'an and Shangluo in southern Shaanxi.
"Though cases of AIDS in the whole province are at a relatively
low level at present, there are signs of growth," the deputy public
health director said.
Since the first person with AIDS was reported in 1992, a total
of 40 HIV positive people have been identified in Xi'an. Among
them, 12 developed AIDS and six have died, Fan said.
At present, the government estimates that there are about
840,000 HIV positive people in China. Some 240,000 people have
died, bringing the total number to about 1 million.
"Compared with other provinces and regions, Shaanxi still has
relatively few HIV positive people. However, the number has
increased rapidly in the last three years, making up 78 percent of
the total number found in the past 14 years," Fan said.
Fan said the local government has paid a lot of attention to the
situation and is taking measures to further enhance prevention
efforts by spreading awareness amongst the public and those most
likely to be exposed.
Faced with growing problems, experts plan to develop regulations
on AIDS prevention and control as soon as possible.
"There is no special law on AIDS prevention and control in China
at present, and current relevant regulations are inadequate,
failing to meet prevention and control needs," said Chen Youmo, a
local prevention and control expert.
Meanwhile, AIDS in the country is at a key stage, threatening to
move from so-called 'high-risk groups' to the general population,
said Chen.
(China Daily November 23, 2004)