A Notice from the Genreal Office of Ministry of Health (MOH) on Issuing the Outlines of Publicity and Education on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control

   November 26, 2004

General Office of MOH（2004）NO. 191

Departments/Bureaus of Health of all provinces, municipalities, municipalities directly under the Central Government，Health Bureau of Xinjiang Production and Construction Group:

In order to meet the demands of A Notice of State Council on Strengthening the Prevention and Treatment of HIV/AIDS, to further intensify publicity and education of HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, to mobilize the whole society to participate in publicity and education activities about HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, and to promote the common people’s knowledge level on HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, MOH has invited some experts to reedit Outlines of Publicity and Education on HIV/AIDS Prevention, which was compiled in 1998. With the original framework, the new edition has added some related policies and new knowledge and changed the title into Outlines of Publicity and Education on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control (Outlines for short).

The Outlines will offer correct information for the media and publicity and education personnel to write publicity materials, and can also be a document for the common people to learn the knowledge of HIV/AIDS prevention.

Now we send you the Outlines, demanding that in combination with its contents, you organize various publicity and education activities about HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, disseminate the knowledge of HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, and do contribution for the work of HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment in China.

Outlines of Publicity and Education on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control

I.                   Basic knowledge

1.          HIV/AIDS is a high-morality infectious disease, which can be prevented. At present there is no effective vaccine or cure medicine, but we have already got some better treatment methods that can prolong life and improve life quality.

2.          HIV/AIDS is mainly spread in the three ways: sexual contact, blood and reproduction. Contact with AIDS patients and HIV-positive people in work and daily life does not cause infection of HIV.

3.          Self-discipline and adhering sexual morality is the fundamental way to prevent HIV/AIDS transmission by sex.

4.          Proper use of qualified condoms and early treatment and cure of STI help reduce the danger of HIV/AIDS infection.

5.          Needle sharing in drug using is an important way of HIV/AIDS transmission; we should reject drugs and cherish life.

6.          Try to avoid unnecessary transfusion, injection and other uses of blood products; use blood and blood products that have gone through the detection of HIV antibody and disposable injectors or strictly disinfected instrument when necessary.

7.          For HIV-positive pregnant women, timely measures should be taken such as anti-retroviral intervention, reduction of injuring operations during delivery, avoidance of breast-feeding, which may greatly decrease the probability of fetal and infantile infection.

8.          Voluntary counseling and testing about HIV/AIDS is an important measure of prevention and treatment to early discover HIV-positives and AIDS patients.

9.          It is an important for HIV/AIDS prevention and control to help and care for AIDS patients and HIV-positive people, and treat them equally.

10.      HIV/AIDS threatens every person and every family; prevention is the responsibility of the whole society.

Important information.

1. HIV/AIDS is a high-morality infectious disease, which can be prevented. At present there is no effective vaccine or curable medicine, but we have already got some better treatment methods that can prolong life and improve life quality.

l        The full name of AIDS is “Acquired Immure Deficiency Syndrome”, which is a severe infectious disease caused by HIV (human immunodeficiency virus).

l        Having broken into the human body, the virus destroys the function of immunity, evokes many kinds of infections and tumours that are hard to cure, and eventually causes death.

l        The resistibility against the outer environment of HIV is rather weak. Having left the human body, it lives from several hours to several days only under normal temperature. It can be completely inactivated in the temperature of 100℃for 20 minutes. Dryness or ordinary disinfectors can kill this virus.

l        All the blood, semen, vaginal secretion, milk and wound secretion of the infected contain a large amount of HIV and are very infectious.

l        The antibody of HIV can be detected in blood only 4 to 8 weeks after infection, before which it is already infectious.

l        Those infected will pass an averagely 7- to 10-year period (incubation) to become AIDS patients. During these years, they look normal in appearance and may live and work without any symptom for many years, but they can pass the virus to other people.

l        When the immunity system is severely damaged and cannot maintain the lowest capability against diseases, the infected develop into AIDS patients. There will be such symptoms as long-time low fever, weight losing, night sweat, chronic diarrhea and cough, etc., with the reason unknown.

l        So far there is no medicine to cure HIV/AIDS. Some medicines can only relieve the symptoms and extend life in some degree. It helps AIDS patients relieve the symptoms and improve life quality to actively accept medical instruction and treatment.

l        Anti-virus treatments for AIDS patients should be carried out under the guidance of doctors that have gone through special trainings on HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment.

l        AIDS patients should keep the habit of regular medicine taking and turn to the medical staff whenever they have got problems during the treatment. Casual pause of medicine or irregular taking of anti-virus medicine both in time and dose might cause the HIV to become drug-fast, lower treatment effects and even fail the treatment.

l        So far we humankind have not yet developed the vaccine that can efficiently prevent HIV/AIDS.

2.      HIV/AIDS is mainly spread in the three ways: sexual contact, blood and mother to child. Contact with AIDS patients and HIV-positive people in work and daily life does not cause infection of HIV.

l      Sexual contact is the most common transmission way of HIV/AIDS worldwide. Sharing needle by injecting drug users is currently the main pattern of HIV/AIDS transmission in China, but the percentage of HIV/AIDS transmission by sex is increasing every year.

l      HIV can be transmitted between men and between men and women by the means of sexual intercourse (vaginal, oral or anal). The more sexual contacts, the greater the danger of getting infected.

l      Sharing jnjecting equipment by drug users is an important way of HIV/AIDS transmission

l      Transfusion of blood and blood products contaminated by HIV can transmit the virus, so do equipments of injection, acupuncture, tooth pulling, medical operations and cosmetic surgeries etc. that enter the human body but are not strictly disinfected.

l      Infected women pass the virus to the infants through pregnancy, delivery and feeding. Without any prevention measures, about 1/3 fetuses and infants may be infected.

l      Daily contact with AIDS patients or HIV-positive people in work and daily life (such as handshaking, hugging, ceremonial kissing, dinning together, using the same money, tools and office items, etc.) does not cause infection of HIV.

l      Cough and sneeze do not spread AIDS, nor do stings of mosquito.

l      Sting of mosquitoes and bugs does not spread HIV/AIDS.

3.      Self-discipline and adhering sexual morality is the fundamental way to prevent HIV/AIDS transmission by sex.

l        The fundamental way of preventing and controlling the transmission of HIV/AIDS and venereal diseases is to establish correct and positive conceptions on love, marriage, family and sex.

l        Sex freedom life style with multi-partner and unprotected sexual activities may greatly increase the danger of transmitting and infecting HIV/AIDS/STD.

l        Prostitution is an important and dangerous pattern of HIV/AIDS/STD transmission.

l        Too early sexual activities for the youth have unhealthy influence on both their body and mind.

l        Faithfulness between husband and wife can protect each other from infection of HIV/AIDS/STD by sex.

4.      Proper use of qualified condoms and early treatment and cure of venereal disease help reduce the danger of HIV/AIDS infection.

lCondoms can greatly reduce the danger of infecting HIV/AIDS/STD and should be used throughout every sexual intercourse.

lThe prevention of condoms is not 100 percent, but it is far safer than without it.

lExcept proper use of condoms, no other measures can efficiently prevent HIV/AIDS.

lDue to physiological differences, it is more likely for HIV-positive males to transmit HIV to females than vice versa. Women should actively use condoms for the female or demand the male to use condoms during sexual intercourse.

lCondoms cannot be used repeatedly but should be knotted and thrown away after use.

lIt is more likely to infect or spread HIV for STD patients or those with genital ulcers , canker or inflammation. Therefore, it helps reduce infection and transmission of HIV/AIDS to cure various genital infections timely.

lThose who are in suspicion of STD or genital infection should go for counseling , testing and treatment as soon as possible. They should also encourage those who have sexual contact with them to receive checkups.

lSome women have no obvious symptoms after STD infection and can hardly notice it. Those with high-risk behaviours such as multiple partners should regularly go to hospital for checkup and treatment.

lOfficially registered hospitals offer regular and private services of checkup, diagnosis, treatment and consultation. Treatment by mountebanks or medicine dealers must be avoided, nor is it correct to buy medicine for treatment. That might lead to wrong diagnosis and treatment, which prolongs the course of disease and increases the rate of HIV/AIDS infection.

5.      Needle sharing by drug users is an important way of HIV/AIDS transmission; so we should reject drugs and cherish life.

lDrug taking is an illegal behaviour, which not only severely harms the health and life of drug takers but endangers their families and society.

lThose take drugs through shared needles and syringes are especially likely to get HIV/AIDS.

lClean or disinfected injectors instead of shared ones can effectively reduce the danger of HIV/AIDS transmission through drug using.

lIt is likely to catch HIV to have sexual intercourse with those who have drug injections.

lMethadone maintenance or needle exchange for drug users reduce HIV transmission through drug using.

6.      Try to avoid unnecessary transfusion, injection and other uses of blood products; use blood and blood products that have gone through the detection of HIV antibody and single use injectors or strictly disinfected instrument when necessary.

l        Advocating for free voluntary blood donation, stopping trading and selling of blood and intensification of blood testing are important measures to ensure blood safety.

l        It is important for blood safety to strictly screening blood donators and persuade those with dangerous behaviours not to donate blood.

l        In order to prevent HIV transmission through the channel of blood taking and transfusion, the crucial measure is to carry out strict HIV antibody detection towards blood and blood products, ensuring blood safety.

l        We should try to avoid unnecessary transfusion and injection. One of the blood safety measures is to make use of plasma substitute and one’s own blood. When transfusion is unavoidable, we must use blood that has gone through HIV antibody detection and dsiposable or strictly disinfected transfusion apparatus.

l        It is an important step for the prevention of blood-borne HIV transmission to make use of single use or self-destructive injectors. If conditions do not permit, each person should have his/her own injector and tube; medical equipments must be disinfected every time after use.

l        Knives, needles and other instruments in hotel, inn, bathhouse, barber shop, beauty saloon, footbath parlour and other service locations that are likely to pierce or scrape the skin must go through thorough disinfections.

7.      For HIV-positive pregnant women, we should timely take such measures as anti-retroviral medication, reduction of injuring operations during delivery, avoidance of breast-feeding, which may greatly decrease the possibility of fetal and infantile infection.

l        In high-risk areas, it is a crucial measure to prevent HIV/AIDS transmission between mother and child to vigorously promote maternal and child health, counseling and testing for HIV/AIDS and hospital delivery for pregnant and lying-in women.

l        HIV-positive pregnant women should take these measures under doctors’ direction: anti-virus medicine during pregnancy and delivery, hospital delivery to reduce injuring operations and avoidance of breast-feeding after delivery. This can greatly reduce the chance of passing HIV on to fetuses or infants.

l        Those who have discovered HIV in early pregnancy should consult doctors and fully understand the potential harm of HIV/AIDS towards fetuses, infants and themselves, so that they can choose continuance of pregnancy or not.

l        If those with positive detection results choose to terminate pregnancy, they should go to local health institutions for services of counseling and pregnancy termination.

l        If they choose to continue the pregnancy, they should go to local hospitals or maternal and child health centers that are in charge of HIV/AIDS anti-virus treatment, and ask for free services of anti-virus medicine and infant detection that prevent transmission between mother and infant.

l        HIV-positive pregnant women should do counselingon infant feeding. They should feed the infants with milk and avoid breast-feeding or the mixed way. Free HIV antibody testing should be carried out in the 12^th and 18^th month of the infant.

8. Voluntary counseling and testing on HIV/AIDS is an important measure of prevention and treatment to early discover HIV-positives and AIDS patients.

lPeople as follows should voluntarily go to local voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) office to receive counseling and test, including: those with high-risk sexual behaviours, sharing injectors in drug taking, selling blood, suspicious of having got unsafe transfusion or injection and pregnant and lying-in women in high-risk areas.

lChina implements free VCT for HIV/AIDS. People can get free counselingand HIV antibody test in the medical institutions that are appointed by all-level disease prevention and control centers and administrative health departments.

lHealth institutions that have been approved by different level disease prevention and control centers and administrative health departments can set up HIV/AIDS counseling offices and test laboratories.

lCounseling and testing are both confidential. Informed consent should be obtained before a person can choose to receive HIV antibody test or not.

lThrough counseling, those positive in HIV antibody test can get HIV/AIDS insurance experiments and treatments, prevention of mother-infant transmission, prevention of infecting others, care and other guiding help and services of introducing information.

lReceiving HIV/AIDS counseling and test can not only eliminate or lighten psychological pressure caused by the suspicion of HIV infection but also help understand one’s own physical condition, so as to take proper measures in time to protect oneself and others.

9.      It is important for HIV/AIDS prevention and control to help and care for AIDS patients and HIV-positive people, and treat them equally.

lHIV-positives are victims of the disease and should receive humanitarian sympathy and help.

lAmong rural citizens and urban ones without basic medical insurance or other medical insurance systems, the AIDS patients with economic difficulties can receive free anti-retroviral treatment in infectious disease hospitals or comprehensive hospitals with the section of infectious disease that are appointed by local health administrative departments.

lAll-level governments should take AIDS patients with economic difficulties into the programme of government assistance, giving necessary alms according to related regulations and actively help patients with working ability to carry out production activities.

lLocal governments should carry out psychological recovery and free compulsory education for orphans of AIDS parents through various ways.

lDiscrimination towards AIDS patients and HIV-positives not only goes against HIV/AIDS prevention and control, but become an unstabilizing factor of society.

lParticipation and cooperation of AIDS patients and HIV-positives is an important component of HIV/AIDS prevention and control.

lFamilies and communities should create a friendly, understanding and healthy environment of life and work for AIDS patients and HIV-positives, encourage them to adopt active life attitude, change high-risk behaviours and cooperate in treatment, and create favourable conditions for their taking part in HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment.

10.  HIV/AIDS threatens every person and every family; prevention is the responsibility of the whole society.

lThe epidemic of HIV/AIDS in China has entered the period of fast increase, at a critical point of transmission from high-risk groups to general population. If we could not control the epidemic of HIV/AIDS timely and effectively, economic development, social stability, national security and prosperity would be severely affected.

lThe basic principal of China’s prevention and control of HIV/AIDS is: prevention first, combination of prevention with treatment, and implementation of comprehensive means.

lPrevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS is not only the duty of health departments. We should establish HIV/AIDS prevention and control systems led by government, involved by multi-sectors of the government and participated by the whole society, and create a social environment that is favourable for HIV/AIDS control.

lNone Governmental Organizations (NGO) are important components of the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS. They can play important roles in such aspects as publicity and education of key groups, intervention of high-risk groups, and care about AIDS patients and HIV positives.

l        Citizens should actively participate in the publicity and education of HIV/AIDS prevention and control, learn and master the basic knowledge about HIV/AIDS prevention, avoid dangerous behaviours and strengthen self-protection, passing their knowledge about HIV/AIDS prevention on to others.

l        It is the common responsibility of every family, every school, every community and the whole society to disseminate the knowledge about HIV/AIDS/STD prevention to teenagers, to carry out related school education and to protect them from the harm of HIV/AIDS/STD.　

l        It is the common responsibility of every family, every school, every community and the whole society to carry out trainings of living skills and education on prevention of HIV/AIDS/STD, resistance against drugs, adolescent sexual knowledge, in order to protect them from the harm of HIV/AIDS/STD.