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China steps up fight against HIV/AIDS

China was yesterday considering creating a new state-level committee to take charge of fighting HIV/AIDS in a move that suggests the government recognizes efforts so far have been inadequate.

The new committee will be responsible for drafting policies and regulations, coordinating work and mobilizing public resources for preventing a scourge that is in danger of spiralling out of control, the China Daily said.

It aims to improve the mechanism to coordinate information among ministries and departments, the report said.

The committee could be headed by Vice Premier Wu Yi (吳儀), who also became health minister last year during the SARS crisis when the then minister was sacked following allegations China covered up the outbreak.

China's ministries and departments adamantly guard their own turf and refuse to cooperate with each other, sometimes at the expense of the common good.

HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention work is left up to the Ministry of Health, which has been described as one of the least powerful and worst-funded in China.

The ministry has traditionally shown itself unable to command cooperation from provincial authorities, unless the central government steps in, as seen in the fight against SARS and bird flu.

Independent AIDS activists said it was too early to say whether the committee will make a difference.

"I can only wait and see what the committee will do," said China's foremost AIDS activist Gao Yaojie (高耀潔).
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