 |
China |
|
| |
|
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| Total Treatment Sites: |
4 |
| Treatment Site Location(s): |
| Linfen Infectious Disease Hospital |
| Guangxi Provincial CDC |
| Nanyang District CDC |
| Xinjiang Medical University Hospital | |
| Patients on ART: |
1,557 |
| Patient Enrolled: |
1,763 |
| Report in PDF Format: |
China Country Report |
| |
HIV/AIDS in China
China is a low-prevalence country (0.1% of adults have HIV) but its population is large. UNAIDS estimates that 700,000 people in China are living with HIV, which may be an inaccurately low figure due to massive under reporting in rural areas. Currently the epidemic is concentrated among at-risk groups, particularly injecting drug users (44% of HIV-infected people in China), blood donors and recipients (the sharp increase in AIDS cases in China in the 1990s was attributed to unsafe blood collection and transfusion), sex workers, MSM, and migrant populations. However, in 2007, for the first time ever, unsafe sex overtook drug use as the main cause of new HIV infections, as knowledge about HIV prevention and condom use are very low. Only 0.5% of new TB cases occur amongst people who are also HIV positive.
In 2003, the Chinese government adopted a program called, “Four Frees and One Care.” The program offers free ARVs, free HIV counseling and testing, free drugs for prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT), free schooling for orphaned children, and care and economic assistance to affected households. Opportunistic infection (OI) treatment and testing are not free, however, and many patients drop off treatment because of the cost of care.
AHF Activities in China
AHF China Cares’ programs aim to improve health services, decrease AIDS mortalities, and improve the qualities of life for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA). Main project activities include a clinical preceptorship training program, a doctor exchange program, city and county level continuing medical education trainings, OI drug assistance, patient-peer education, and counseling support.
In Linfen City, Shanxi Province, AHF runs an outpatient HIV/AIDS clinic and collaborates with Linfen Infectious Disease Hospital, which provides healthcare services to almost 80% of Shanxi Province’s AIDS patients. At Nanning, AHF provides outpatient medical services in partnership with Guangxi Provincial CDC, which is the largest AIDS treatment center in the province. Since ARVs are supplied by the central government, for both sites AHF conducts OI drug procurements that drastically improve patients’ lives. AHF also provides community-based counseling and education to the general population by training local NGOs and peer educators in outreach methods and drug adherence counseling.
One of AHF’s goals is to establish a sustainable and affordable treatment and care model that improves the lives of PLHA, so at Xinjiang Medical University, the largest HIV/AIDS treatment center in Xinjiang Province, AHF provides technical assistance and training to build capacity.
AHF has built up a strong partnership network by cooperating with the government, public hospitals, the Global Fund project, and other non-governmental organizations. These partnerships allow AHF to extend its service scale and in 2008, China Cares achieved its primary goal by registering over 1,000 AIDS patients at its three project sites.
Models of Care
Direct Care
HIV Counseling & Testing
Technical Assistance & Supervision
Training
