By 2003 Beijing has discovered 1,648 cases of people infected with HIV and AIDS patients. Among them 338 are Beijing citizens, 1,215 are persons migrating from other provinces to Beijing for work or business and 95 are foreign nationals. The epidemic situation is ranked seventh nationwide.

The exact number of HIV infected persons and AIDS patients in Beijing is now far higher than 1,648, said Jin Dapeng, director-general of Beijing Health Bureau, during the Beijing AIDS Prevention and Control Working Meeting held on July 14. The task of effectively controlling the prevalence and spread of the AIDS is very tough. Currently the spread of the AIDS in Beijing has four characteristics: First, the scope is wide. Local infected persons and patients have been found in 15 districts and counties. Second, the epidemic situation has spread from high-risk groups to ordinary people. Of all the infected persons or patients 44.7 percent contacted it through sharing syringes in drug taking. The proportion of infection through sexual contact and mater-to-child transmission (MTCT) is growing each year. Third, most infected persons are young people or people in their prime of life. Forth, the potential AIDS spread factors such as unsafe sexual behaviors and sharing of syringes in drug taking still exist.

Jin Dapeng said the Beijing government will provide free anti-HIV drugs to AIDS patients and HIV infected persons who have a Beijing household register in order to improve their living quality and lighten the burden on their families and the society. Beijing Health Bureau has designated Ditan Hospital and Youan Hospital as free AIDS treatment hospitals, which are responsible for the clinical part of the free AIDS treatment work. It includes the framing of anti-HIV treatment solution, free-medicine registration, use and management, the carrying out of clinical treatment, the establishment of cases and the management and report of relevant case histories etc.

By People's Daily Online