Originally published October 14 2005
Chinese officials believe illegal drug traffic is partly responsible for spread of HIV
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Teng Yun, vice director of the Dehong HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office, believes that reducing drug traffic and counseling addicts will greatly inhibit the spread of HIV in his province.
KUNMING, Oct. 12 (Xinhuanet) -- China's southwestern Dehong prefecture is stepping up efforts to counter drug trafficking and help drug addicts.
These efforts "top the regional anti-AIDS agenda".
The Dai-Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture of Dehong, an area inhabited by the Dai and Jingpo people in southwest China's Yunnan Province, is a major route for drugs smuggled out of the SoutheastAsia's drug-flooded "Golden Triangle" region.
Teng Yun, vice director of the Dehong HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office, attributed Dehong's serious drug addiction problem to easy access to low priced drugs.
"AIDS cannot be contained unless the drug problem is addressed",said Teng.
A census in January 2005 showed that Dehong had 25,000 identified drug addicts, 87.3 percent of whom were rural drug users.
It is highly risky for rural drug users to share needles when they work in fields.
In the first half of 2005, 74.6 percent of Dehong's more than 8,000 identified HIV carriers were mainline drug users.
Statistics from 2004 show that 1,544 HIV patients died in Dehong, ranking it the hardest HIV-hit area in the province and leaving about 500 children orphaned by AIDS.
Last year, the central government increased Dehong's anti-AIDS budget to 10 million yuan (about 1.2 million US dollars) and improved labs for HIV virus confirmation, personnel training and public education.
With central government's support, Dehong established 7 syringeandneedle exchange centers in 2003 that offer clean instruments for drug users to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Dehong has also adopted measures such as behavioral therapy viapublicity and peer education to treat drug addicts and contain HIV/AIDS.
Currently, China has 840,000 HIV carriers including 80,000 AIDSpatients.
The epidemic has spread throughout the country and is being transferred to ordinary people by such high-risk groups as underground prostitutes, drug users, homosexuals and migrant workers.
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