Country profiles on HIV/AIDS
China
China was generally categorized at concentrated epidemic level as of 2009. The epidemic has started to spread from high-risk populations to their sexual partners in specific locations. As of end 2009, there were an estimated 740 000 people living with HIV in China. Nowadays sexual transmission is the primary mode of transmission and homosexual transmission was found to be increasing rapidly. Historically the epidemic in China was driven by the use of injectable drugs.
China has continued to build response and action plan aimed at reducing and preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS with government taking the lead. The impressive scale up of Harm Reduction services (especially methadone maintenance clinics and needle and syringe programmes) is globally recognized as the key element of their successful response so far. Universal access to antiretroviral therapy seems to be the biggest challenge faced by the country at that stage.
Core HIV and AIDS epidemic and response data
| Indicator | 2001 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
| No. PLHIV | ||||
| Total | 470 000 | 700 000 | ||
| Adults | 470 000 | 690 000 | ||
| Adults pre. % | 0.1 | 0.1 | ||
| Women (15+) | 120 000 | 200 000 | ||
| Children < 15 years | ... | ... | ||
| AIDS Death | 1500 | 3900 | ||
| HIV Pre. of MARPs | ||||
| IDU % | 0.1 | 8.1 | 8 | 9.3 |
| FSW % | 10.3 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.6 |
| MSM % | 1.7(a) | 2.1 | 6 | 5 |
| No. people on ART | ||||
| Total | 35 000 | 48 254 | 65 481 | |
| ART coverage % | 19 | |||
| No. pediatric patients on ART | 766 | 1120 | 1594 | |
| No. receiving ARV for PMTCT | 593 | 980 | 1554 | |
| PMTCT coverage % | 9 | |||
(a) 2003 data.
Sources and notes:
- 2001 and 2007 data: UNAIDS/WHO 2008 Update: Epidemiological Fact Sheet on HIV and AIDS.
- 2008 and 2009 data: WHO, UNAIDS and UNICEF: Towards Universal Access: Scaling up Priority HIV/AIDS Interventions in the Health Sector, Progress Report 2009 and 2010.