In parks and bars in Jinan, capital of eastern China's Shandong Province, a group of gay men are handing out HIV/AIDS information cards and free condoms to their peers.

"Can I talk to you? I am a member of a gay group fighting AIDS." Kaka, the pseudonym of the head of Rainbow Team, says a homosexual man finds it easier to discuss HIV prevention with fellow homosexuals.

Kaka and other gays established Rainbow Team with the help of the official Jinan Disease Prevention and Control Center in March to "do something important for the health of gays".

Encouraged by the team, about 800 gay men took free HIV tests provided by the government and 12 were found to be infected.

The first AIDS case in Jinan was found in November 2004 by Jinan Center for Disease Prevention and Control when a sophomore was trying to donate blood. With his help, the official AIDS prevention center began its work in the gay community.

The Rainbow Team gets technical support, condoms and 3,000 yuan (375 U.S. dollars) each month from the center.

Kaka says the cooperation with the disease prevention center proves the Rainbow Team has become well-recognized since it was established in March.

The team was named after the Rainbow Flag, a symbol of the campaign for equal rights for homosexuals. It has 34 active members.

All 13 cities across Shandong Province soon have similar organizations.

Many other cities across China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Chengdu and Dalian, have similar teams.

The teams are making inroads, says Ruan Shiman, head of HIV/AIDS prevention in Jinan Disease Prevention and Control Center.

China has five to 10 million gay men, according to official figures. However, some experts estimate the homosexual population is around 50 million.

The HIV infection rate is estimated at one to four percent among gay men, who are the second largest high-risk group following drug addicts.

However, homosexuals suffer huge social pressures in China and are unwilling to be identified despite growing awareness in recent years.

"AIDS prevention is easier among drug addicts and sex workers, but it's hard among homosexuals," says Ruan Shiman.

Prof. Zhang Beichuan, of the Qingdao University Medical School, who was among the first Chinese to promote AIDS awareness among homosexuals, says teams such as Rainbow have greatly helped the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Vice Health Minister Wang Longde said China was set to gear up its AIDS intervention in the country's high-risk groups. Prostitutes, drug users, homosexuals and their partners deserved special attention.

A regulation on HIV/AIDS prevention and control that takes effect on March 1 requires governments at all levels to encourage and support related organizations and individuals "to promote AIDS intervention measures and help high-risk groups".

Official statistics show that among China's 650,000 people living with HIV/AIDS, 44.3 percent were infected through drug injection, 10.7 percent through blood transfusions and 43.6 percent through unsafe sex.

Non-governmental organizations and social agencies should also be motivated to carry out health promotion and education in homosexual entertainment venues, the official said.

Source: Xinhua