China to Promote Condoms to Cap HIV/AIDS Cases

China’s State Council, or cabinet, on Wednesday released an action plan to cut new HIV infections, in part by promoting an increase in condom use. By 2015, condoms or condom vending machines should be accessible in 95 percent of hotels and other public areas, and the rate of use among high-risk groups should be 90 percent, the action plan said. No comparative figures were provided for current condom usage.

Though life expectancy for Chinese AIDS patients has improved, prevention work remains “extremely difficult,” the council said. “The present spread of AIDS is still severe; there is widespread discrimination in society; [and] the virus is a serious problem in some areas and amongst high-risk groups,” it said. STDs are on the rise - a worrisome fact, given that most HIV infections in China are transmitted sexually, the council noted.

Objectives to reach by 2015 include bringing “basic control of the rapid rise of the AIDS virus in main areas and main groups of people,” and cutting new infections by 25 percent from 2010 levels, the government said.

To help educate local officials about HIV/AIDS, their knowledge of the disease and ability to promote public education will be incorporated into their annual performance reviews, the government said. At present, 780,000 Chinese live with HIV/AIDS; the government hopes that figure tops out at no more than 1.2 million by 2015.

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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