An increasing percentage of HIV cases in Guangdong Province are not local residents: among the people living with HIV or AIDS (PLHA) in Shenzhen City, 90% are non-local residents, and just as many are in the 20-39 age group, while 70% of newly identified cases in Guangzhou City in 2006 were non-local. At a recent provincial political consultation meeting, the Guangdong Committee of the China Zhi Gong Party recommended taking further steps to strengthen HIV prevention and treatment among non-local residents.

Guangdong's HIV epidemic is rapidly increasing

According to a report from the Shenzhen Health Bureau, the HIV epidemic in Shenzhen City has entered a stage of rapid increase, and is expanding into the general population. The number of new cases discovered in Shenzhen is increasing by an average of 24.7% each year. 90% of the identified PLHAs are not local residents, and 90% are aged between 20 and 39. Meanwhile, Guangzhou Municipal Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports, based on their surveillance data, that 70% of the 1585 new HIV cases in 2006 were non-local residents.  

The Guangdong Committee of the China Zhi Gong Party has proposed that the provincial government adopt more active methods to prevent HIV infection, such as providing high-quality, low-cost reproductive health services to non-local residents. Besides this, the Guangdong Committee also suggests including free HIV testing and free ARV treatment in medical insurance coverage, in order to lessen the cost burden, especially among non-local residents. The Committee suggests that the provincial government specifically allocate funds to pay for ARV treatment of AIDS patients who do not hold a local residence card (hukou).