China's HIV infections, mortality rates at low level globally

BEIJING -- The HIV infection and mortality rates in China are low on a global scale, according to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

By the end of 2022, China had reported around 1.22 million individuals living with HIV/AIDS, with a cumulative death toll of 418,000 cases since the first case was reported in 1985 in the country, data from the CDC showed.

After years of efforts, China's prevention and control system for major infectious diseases such as AIDS has improved, and its capacity for disease containment enhanced, said Wang Hesheng, deputy head of the National Health Commission (NHC) and chief of the national administration of disease control and prevention.

The number of HIV screening laboratories and testing sites nationwide has expanded to over 50,000.

China has established a national HIV/AIDS treatment and drug supply system covering 2,517 counties. More than 90 percent of HIV carriers have received antiretroviral therapy, and more than 95 percent have achieved success in their treatment.

Substantial progress has been made in the containment of HIV/AIDS. In 2022, China's mother-to-child transmission rate of HIV declined to 3 percent.

The awareness of HIV prevention and control knowledge has also increased among key populations.

These accomplishments owe much to China's initiatives to contain HIV/AIDS.

Starting in 2004, China initiated support policies for people living with HIV/AIDS and their families, including the provision of medications and living assistance. In addition, orphans of deceased AIDS patients receive free education.

China has issued four five-year action plans aimed at curbing the spread of AIDS since 2000. In 2019, the NHC collaborated with nine other departments to develop the implementation plan for containing AIDS (2019-2022).

Dec. 1 marks World AIDS Day.