China offers free Aids tests
14/04/2004 - 10:42:32China today began offering free Aids tests to anyone who wants one and free treatment for infected people who cannot afford it, amid growing official urgency about stopping the spread of the virus.
China says 840,000 of its people are HIV-positive and 80,000 have full-blown Aids.
The UN Aids agency says the number of infected people in China could rise to 10 million by 2020 without more aggressive prevention efforts.
The plan for free Aids testing was reported by state media, while the Health Ministry announced plans for free medication and treatment on its web site.
“Beginning today, people in China’s mainland who receive voluntary Aids counselling and tests can obtain them for free,” the state-run China News Service said.
In Beijing, the number of government clinics offering Aids tests has been increased from four to 22, the newspaper Beijing Daily reported.
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