AIDS-Related Mortality Dropped 64% Since 2002 in China

The AIDS-related mortality rate in China has dropped 64 percent since the government began distributing free antiretroviral (ARV) drugs in 2002, according to a study published in the journal Lancet and reported by The New York Times.

About 63 percent of people who need ARVs are receiving them—up from virtually zero in 2002—and about 50 percent of the Chinese population has been tested for HIV. In comparison, the United States estimates that 80 percent of its 1.1 million residents who have the virus have been tested. The study also found widespread discrimination against HIV-positive people in China, which impedes their ability to get medical treatment at hospitals. Advocates are applauding the data because the Chinese government a decade ago largely ignored the epidemic.

To read the Times article, click here.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.


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