Cities at heart of triple-zero HIV goals

Over the past decade, the Chinese government has consistently shown leadership at the highest levels in its national response to the AIDS epidemic. HIV funding has increased rapidly, more than quadrupling since 2003 to over 2 billion yuan ($309 million) in 2010. The country's most senior leaders, including President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao, have met with people living with and affected by HIV on regular occasions, underscoring the commitment of the Chinese government to addressing HIV in China.

This commitment has yielded concrete results: a dramatic increase in the number of people receiving antiretroviral treatment, from about zero in 2003 to more than 86,000 in 2010, representing more than 40 percent coverage; a major roll-out of methadone maintenance treatment for people who inject drugs, with more than 700 clinics now providing life-saving treatment and prevention services to almost 300,000 people; and nationwide efforts to prevent new HIV infections in children. These are all important achievements that will slow the spread of HIV in China.

But areas of concern remain - perhaps foremost among these, a rapidly-expanding HIV epidemic among men who have sex with men (MSM). Approximately one in three new HIV infections in China is among MSM, and a majority of these infections occur in cities. To ensure a successful national AIDS response, urgent action is needed in metropolitan areas. HIV programs focused on MSM in cities will also help mitigate the impact of the epidemic in rural areas, as many city dwellers are migrants who return to their villages of origin on a regular basis.