World AIDS Day in Shanghai

In a high profile move yesterday, Chinese President Hu Jintao pledged to “mobilize the whole society to improve AIDS/HIV control, here Monday.” This pledge came a day before the 22nd World AIDS Day.

"China still faces a severe AIDS problem and we should mobilize the forces of all social sectors to tackle the problem persistently," Hu said to China Daily during his visit to the China National Convention Center where volunteers were working an AIDS prevention campaign.

Hu’s support of World AIDS Day and domestic measures to curb the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is one of just many headlines that has emerged in the run up to World AIDS Day in China.

On November 22, Chinese HIV-positive community group “Positive Commitment” met in Shanghai to honor doctors, government officials and international NGOs making a difference in the lives of Shanghai’s AIDS and HIV-positive patience.

The awards were presented by the International Treatment Preparedness Coalition - China (ITPC-China), a network of people living with HIV and AIDS (PLHIV) and their advocates who focus on improving AIDS treatment in China.

“It’s very easy to always criticize doctors and government officials,” said Thomas Cai, the coordinator of ITPC-China to his Shanghai-based audience, “but there are many who are truly dedicated to their work. Without them, many of us would not be alive standing here today.”

The award ceremony was attended by Michel Sidibé, the Executive Director of UNAIDS as well as numerous Chinese government officials.

Although the Chinese government has rapidly scaled up treatment and services for people with HIV in recent years, ITPC estimates that more than twice the number of people receiving help are in need of anti-retroviral treatment. Even a greater obstacles than the sheer numbers of people needing treatment is the discrimination PLHIV face even in modern cities like Shanghai.

“Stigma against people living with HIV is one of the biggest barriers to accessing HIV prevention and treatment services,” said Sidibé. “The inclusion and leadership of civil society in the response to AIDS is essential in overcoming these barriers and in developing and implementing programs that can reach people in need.”

On the heals of the Shanghai ITPC-China summit, UNAIDS released two reports on relevant statistics and address the human aspects of the HIV and AIDS in China alongside educational initiative to raise awareness of the disease’s growing threat.

These reports highlight the role of social stigma in the spread of the disease. As part of a Chinese public awareness campaign Yao Ming will be featured for the first time as a goodwill ambassador to help stop discrimination again people living with HIV.

Shanghai specific statistics were also released in the run up to World AIDS Day.

Stigma against people living with HIV is one of the biggest barriers to accessing HIV prevention and treatment services.

— Michel Sidibé, the Executive Director of UNAIDS

According to Shanghai Daily, “Shanghai reported 886 new HIV carriers and 392 AIDS patients, with 25 fatalities, from January to November 20 this year.” This is a 26.5 percent increase in positive to HIV tests than for the same period last year. And unprotected sex was the cause of 63.7 percent of the new cases.

The city’s health bureau reported that, “Shanghai’s incidence of HIV/AIDS is two in every 10,000 residents, much lower than the national level of five in every 10,000.”

"There is still a low prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Shanghai, but chances to become infected are widely available here," said Xu Jianguang, director of the Shanghai Health Bureau.

Condom-vending machines or free condoms are expected to be available in all public venues before the 2010 Shanghai World Expo starts next May as part of a city-wde HIV/AIDS prevention plan.

It’s a long-standing policy that any foreigner visiting China must sign documents stating they are HIV-free, and any foreigner applying for a residency visa is required to take a blood test to determine his/her HIV status as part of a visa health check. But this might change, at least for the Shanghai 2010 World Expo.

It’s has been proposed that foreigners with HIV/AIDS should be allowed enter China for the Expo. Motives for the change can be questioned, but allowing equal access to PLHIV is sure to help maximum the overseas visitors to the event. Urbanatomy writes that they’re unsure if the ban will be lifted in its entirely or a special waiver granted to those with the virus by May 1 next year.

Vice-Minister of Health, Huang Jiefu, supports the proposals, saying: "I hope China will remove the ban thoroughly and forever by the time of the Shanghai Expo."