Six government departments have jointly urged the nation's media
to encourage the use of condoms, a move to promote safe sex and
HIV/AIDS prevention.
The six departments, including the Ministry of Health, the State
Population and Family Planning Commission, and the State Food and
Drug Administration, have jointly issued rules and recommendations
on the extensive use of condoms to prevent HIV/AIDS, the Xinhua
News Agency reported.
Free condoms will be distributed through the health and family
planning networks, according to the report.
Chinese officials have acknowledged that AIDS is moving from
high-risk populations, such as drug users and prostitutes, into the
general population through sexual transmission.
Vice-Premier Wu Yi has stressed that China's AIDS prevention and
control work is at a crucial stage because the epidemic may spread
beyond high-risk groups.
The State Council has urged local governments to ensure a high
level of condom use among high-risk groups.
Its five-year HIV/AIDS prevention plan (2001-05) expects that
condoms will be used by at least 50 per cent of high-risk
populations in China by the end of next year.
Statistics from the Ministry of Health indicate that in China,
while 64 per cent of HIV/AIDS cases are caused by drug use, sexual
transmission is rising at a double-digit rate.
The authorities have encouraged the installation of automatic
condom dispensing machines in communities, especially in areas with
a large number of migrants.
Beijing installed 100 condom dispensers across the city earlier
this year.
Public awareness of HIV/AIDS remains low among the general
public, despite government efforts to disseminate HIV/AIDS related
information, health officials said.
Public advertisements on condom use and AIDS prevention should
be regularly used to promote condom use among the general
population and increase the public's AIDS awareness, officials
said.
The State Administration of Industry and Commerce restricted
condom advertisements in 1989 as part of a ban outlawing
advertisements for products related to sexual activity.
The ban was lifted last year.
With 840,000 HIV carriers reported, of whom 80,000 suffer from
AIDS, China is ranked second in Asia and 14th in the world in terms
of HIV/AIDS patients.
Some experts warn that over 10 million Chinese will be
HIV-positive in 2010, unless effective measures are taken.
(China Daily October 6, 2004)