Home>News Center>China
       
 

Henan gets it right in war on HIV/AIDS
By Zhang Feng (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-11-04 05:49

Ma Jianzhong, director of the Henan Provincial Health Bureau, said the first target was to know the number of HIV carriers.

In August last year, the province tested all 280,000 farmers who sold blood in the early 1990s. Then, people who have close contact with blood sellers and other high-risk groups were tested, as well as thousands at random.

By June, the cumulative number of HIV carriers was 29,337, including 16,457 suffering from AIDS.

At least 90 per cent of the victims were infected while selling blood. And about 98 per cent of the total cases were found in rural areas.

Since the virus was found among blood sellers in 1995, Henan closed all unlicensed blood banks; and for the past seven years the province has ensured that clinical supplies are all from donors and screened.

"This way, we have completely cut the channel of HIV infection through blood transmission," Li said.

Moreover, from this year, Henan will test at least 1 million residents for HIV annually.

As part of treatment, township hospitals and village clinics have been greatly improved in areas where there are HIV/AIDS sufferers: about 98 per cent of the victims get free, timely medical treatment. The remainder, in urban areas, have access to bigger hospitals.

Infected villagers get free basic treatment and free anti-virus medicines, which are provided by the central government; and at least 100 kinds of free medicines given by the provincial government to treat various diseases caused by the virus.

Welfare services are an integral part of the system.

All HIV carriers are exempt from various taxes, whatever their business.

Each member of HIV-affected families gets 12 yuan (US$1.5) a month. And the governments give every orphan or elderly person left by HIV/AIDS victims 130 yuan (US$16) a month.

The governments encourage and pay people to take care of orphans or lonely old people.

For those orphans or elderly people who cannot find a family, the governments have established "homes" where they live for free.

And about 10,000 children from HIV families receive free school education.

(China Daily 11/04/2005 page1)


Page: 12



Folk dance competition in Guiyang
Taiwan performance in Hangzhou
Poor kids' strong desire for school
  Today's Top News     Top China News
 

New bird flu outbreak confirmed in Liaoning

 

   
 

Sino-Russian energy links to expand

 

   
 

Number of billionaires triples to 10

 

   
 

US plan paints frightening bird flu picture

 

   
 

Bush's ratings sink over war, court

 

   
 

Beijing to unveil Olympic mascot November 11

 

   
  China plans 2007 space mission
   
  Muslims celebrate end of Ramadan
   
  Former US envoy says trust crucial
   
  Alien flora and fauna pose threat to capital
   
  Grasslands could turn into desert
   
  Radiation case at standstill
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  Related Stories  
   
The condom wagon lands in China to cash in on safe sex
   
US$100m to beef up anti-AIDS efforts
   
Left behind but not forgotten: AIDS-devastated villages
   
HIV-positive cases estimated at 840,000
   
Gov't buys 305m condoms for AIDS prevention
   
Human tests prove AIDS vaccine safe
  News Talk  
  It is time to prepare for Beijing - 2008  
Manufacturers, Exporters, Wholesalers - Global trade starts here.
Advertisement