走出艾滋病毒/艾滋病的阴影

You An Hospital in Beijing is China's first medical institution to receive and treat people with AIDS. It has outpatient and hospitalization services for HIV/AIDS patients and a national-level laboratory dedicated to AIDS research and finding a cure for the disease. Dr. Wu Hao, head of the hospital's Department of Infectious Diseases, says thanks to government support, more AIDS patients now get access to timely and proper treatment.

"One prominent example of progress is the effectiveness of antiretroviral treatment along with treatment using traditional Chinese medicines. It can help prolong the life expectancy of AIDS patients by thirty to forty years, only ten years less than the average life expectancy."

China's AIDS outbreak entered its first peak in the mid-1990s, largely due to unsafe blood sales.

Dr. Wu says although the growth rate of new cases has slowed in recent years, the epidemic is still on the rise.

Compared to years ago, the virus is spreading into more diversified groups such as the elderly and young students, which makes intervention more complex and tougher. As opposed to years ago, sexual transmission has replaced blood transmission as the No.1 means of transmission.

"The rate of sex transition is high, and the percentage has been even higher in the last two years. In Beijing, 80 percent of HIV/AIDS patients get infected from sexual behaviors, and among then, more than 60 percent is from sex between homosexuals."

Dr. Wu says although a complete and successful medication to cure AIDS has yet to be found, his hospital has created a multi-tier taskforce to help patients rebuild their lives and live quality lives. The taskforce consists of medical workers, HIV/AIDS patients and volunteers.

Dr. Wu says like other chronic diseases, AIDS is an illness that a patient has to live with for his entire life. Medical treatment is only part of the overall treatment, and patients must confront many pragmatic issues, ranging from how to continue their family life to public attitudes about this yet-to-be-conquered disease.

For CRI, I'm Lin Lin.