China Is Offering Free Treatment For All Citizens With HIV/AIDS

According to China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission, all of its citizens living with HIV/AIDS will be qualified to receive free anti-retroviral therapy (ART).

The announcement on Wednesday indicated that the new plan is to cover all citizens carrying HIV/AIDS, of which China has registered more than 577,000, accounting for 68 percent of the estimated total number of those infected,  according to the National Center for AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Disease Control and Prevention. 

In the past, only patients with low immunity levels were given antiviral therapy as they are more susceptible to higher risks of infection.

The initiative, which has emerged from collaborations between government officials, researchers, service providers, and policymakers, is widely welcomed by the public.

“It helps with better treatment outcomes for the sufferer and for public health as well,” said Department of Infectious Diseases director Wu Hao. 

Following decades of failed attempts to contain the illness that takes thousands of lives each year, the government has since made tremendous progress in the creation of effective HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment strategies. 

With its current adoption of a more widespread approach, China is hoping to lessen the spread of the disease.