Compiled and edited by Martin Flynn
a new United Nations report.
"An HIV and Aids disaster now lies in wait to rattle the country,
and it can be feared that in just a couple of years China might count
more HIV cases than any other country in the world," said the UN.
The document, entitled 'Aids in China, New Millennium - Titanic Challenge'
criticises what it calls the inadequate response of the Beijing government
to deal with the epidemic so far, and points to insufficient leadership
and commitment.
The report says that although the Chinese government claims there are
only 850,000 people with HIV in the country, they are known to only count
those in hospital or in prison who have the virus. The UN estimates that
the true figure could, in reality, be at least twice what the Chinese
government estimates, and could reach 10 million by 2010.
The document says that factors contributing to the rapid spread of Aids
in China include poor health awareness, huge internal labour migration,
poverty, drug abuse, widespread prostitution, increased sexual openness
and low condom use.
"Millions of Chinese have never heard the word Aids," the UN
study said. "Many more still think it is more likely to contract
HIV from mosquito bites or handshaking than through sharing needles or
unsafe sex."
Unsafe blood banks, as well as a government ban on TV ads for condoms,
have also contributed to the spread of the epidemic, the report adds.
page 4 of 7
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