Members of the Political Consulting Committee of Shanxi Province proposed to adopt free but compulsory HIV testing policy as part of pre-marriage physical examination, for high prevalence areas.

Between January and September of last year, 16 pregnant women were found to be HIV positive in Shanxi Province, a dramatic increase compared with last year. 22 members of the Political Consulting Committee, who are attending the 1^st Plenary Session of the Tenth Provincial Political Consulting Meeting, proposed such policy.

According to the data mentioned in the proposal and offered by Provincial Bureau of Health, 2366 HIV cases have been reported by the end of September, 2007. Among them 1129 people developed AIDS, of which 583 are now deceased. The first HIV case was found in Shanxi in 1995; reported in 106 counties in 11 cities nowadays. HIV cases among pregnant women have also increased. Between January and September of 2006 12 cases were reported. This number increased to 16 in 2007.

The members of the Political Consulting Committee proposed to adopt free pre-marriage physical examination and include compulsorily HIV testing to prevent HIV transmission in high prevalence areas. They also suggest that qualified HIV labs, pre-marriage Physical Examination clinics and Maternal and Children Health Centers provide a user friendly pre-marriage physical examination service with HIV test as a component.

* Translated by CHAIN