Faced with a growing number of HIV cases, officials in Guangzhou
and Shenzhen have pledged to beef up efforts to control spread of
the deadly virus.
The two economic powerhouses, located in south China's Guangdong Province, have been hit with a
serious HIV problem. The virus can lead to AIDS.
In Guangzhou, the capital city of Guangdong, 1,585 HIV cases
were reported last year, bringing the total to 4,806 in the last 20
years, sources with the Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and
Prevention said (GDCDC).
Meanwhile Shenzhen reported 622 new HIV cases last year,
according to the Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention
(SZCDC).
Between 1992 and 2006, there were 2,016 new HIV cases within the
coastal city, with an annual increase of 58.3 percent, Shenzhen
center sources said.
"New cases resulted from sexual activities and intravenous
injection, which led to more than 60 percent of the total last year
in Guangzhou," said Cai Weiping, an AIDS doctor with the Guangzhou
No. 8 People's Hospital. "We will attach utmost importance to
promote education of HIV prevention among the public."
Although the hospital received almost 300 HIV patients last
year, most HIV carriers were embarrassed to request medical
treatment, officials said.
"This really has posed great risks for control and prevention of
HIV as they are likely to be another potential source for the
spreading of HIV," Cai said.
Sources at the Guangzhou center said just 230 cases in Guangzhou
were traced after detection last year.
"Most HIV patients have developed strong defensive views toward
taking their identification to doctors as they are afraid of being
discriminated by family members and colleagues," Cai said.
As a result, the GDCDC has organized a special team consisting
of specialists from various hospitals and healthcare institutes to
promote HIV education.
"Special efforts will target those people with high potential of
HIV," said Xu Huifang, director of the AIDS prevention department
of the GDCDC.
According to Xu, the team will visit places frequented by
prostitutes and promote condom use. "We will also organize an AIDS
volunteer team to frequently promote HIV education in public
places," Xu said.
Meanwhile, HIV education has also been carried out in all
primary and middle schools in Guangzhou.
Chen Zhaorong, an official with the Guangzhou bureau of
education, said students and parents didn't want to touch the
subject just a few years ago.
Chen said the bureau has set up a special department to deal
with healthcare education among students.
(China Daily April 5, 2007)