HIV positive Chinese children are to receive free anti-
retroviral treatment, health anchorites announced Wednesday.
"Health departments at all levels must ensure that
anti-retroviral therapy to children is included in the free
anti-retroviral treatment to AIDS patients," the Health Ministry
said in a regulation.
The ministry has been providing free anti-retroviral drugs to
AIDS patients with financial difficulties since 2003. So far, more
than 20,000 AIDS patients have received free drugs, but treatment
for children has remained a problem.
Health experts pointed that many infected children resort to
adult dosages due to the scarcity of drugs for children, which are
usually highly expensive.
In June last year, the ministry launched pilot projects in six
provinces and autonomous regions, providing children's dosage
drugs. About 200 children received the drugs, mostly donated by the
Clinton Foundation.
Early reports said China has recorded about 800 HIV infected
children, most of whom were infected through mother-to-baby
transmission. Experts believe that more child carriers remain
undiscovered.
The Health Ministry said provincial health authorities must
ensure that enough money will be allocated for anti-retroviral
treatment to children.
It also required health departments at all levels improve
training of doctors specializing on treatment for children and
enhance health monitoring of children.
Health departments were required to "mobilize all resources" to
provide psychological counseling and assistance to children and
their families.
According to estimates by the ministry, the World Health
Organization and UNAIDS, China has about 650,000 people living with
HIV/AIDS, including 75,000 who have developed AIDS.
(Xinhua News Agency November 30, 2006)