New policies and strategies to tackle HIV/AIDS in China

Over the past decade, China has made remarkable progress in promoting universal access to HIV prevention, treatment and care and support. As a result, overall AIDS mortality among treatment eligible patients dropped 63.9% between 2002 and 2009. However, many key challenges remain in the early identification of HIV-positive individuals and timely provision of antiretroviral treatment (ART). To address these challenges, the Chinese government has taken steps to translate the latest scientific research findings into its newly issued national AIDS policy and strategy. China's recent adoption of "Treatment as Prevention" to reduce HIV incidence and HIV/AIDS related morbidity and mortality is intended to help achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goals by 2015. Chin Med J 2012;125(7):1331-1337