Southwestern Yunnan
Province is setting up the first domestic AIDS prevention and
care center in the country, the provincial AIDS prevention and
control office announced at Kunming, the capital, on Wednesday.
Located 28 km from Kunming City, the center will cover an area of
10,000 square meters with 200 beds.
According to the report released by the office, the center will
serve as China's first special institute providing patients with
AIDS consultation, testing and treatment services. The center will
also serve as an AIDS prevention information center.
The report also said the center would particularly focus on the
treatment and care of HIV positive people, including anti-HIV
treatment, psychological counseling, HIV spread control education
and medical research.
Apart from AIDS sufferers in China, the center will also accept
patients from overseas, so as to accumulate and exchange experience
in international anti-AIDS undertakings.
Statistics released by the office show that in the first three
quarters of 2003, 47.5 percent of HIV-carriers in Yunnan province
were infected through blood transmission and the ratio of those
contracting the virus through sexual intercourse rose to 21.9
percent.
Experts warned that the HIV virus had become an epidemic not
only within high-risk groups, such as drug abusers and commercial
sex workers, but also among ordinary people.
The establishment of the center is expected to provide treatment
and care to a large number of AIDS sufferers, who ordinary
hospitals do not have the capacity to care for, and give
professional guidance on the usage and research of HIV
medicines.
(Xinhua News Agency December 12, 2003)