HIV/AIDS activities in China are guided by the National Medium and Long-term Plan for Prevention and Control of HIV/AIDS (1998-2010). The plan includes guidelines for multisectoral planning and coordination, and stresses the need for greater government commitment to HIV/AIDS prevention and care.

Provincial Health Bureaus oversee the HIV/AIDS programs in every province. Despite the multi-sectoral composition of the National AIDS Coordinating Committee (NACC), the national response remains almost exclusively based in the health sector.

The Government commits around US$ 2 million per year for HIV/AIDS programming – much less than smaller countries like Thailand and Viet Nam. Some provinces have supplemented government allotments with special budgets or credit from the World Bank.

The HIV/AIDS sentinel surveillance system in China tests groups of people assumed to have risk behaviours (mainly urban drug users and sex workers). Thus it is does not provide a reliable picture of the epidemic. A joint UN assessment started in 2000 indicates that better coordination and use of existing data could improve programming, give better warning of new outbreaks of HIV/AIDS, and facilitate rapid and appropriate responses. There is currently no behavioural surveillance system in place in China.

The Response in Yunnan

The Yunnan provincial government was quick to respond to HIV/AIDS openly and proactively. In 1996, Yunnan became the first province in China to establish a multisectoral HIV/AIDS Leader Group. Political commitment among the senior leadership in the province has led to a significant increase in government budget for HIV/AIDS, more power given to the Provincial AIDS Committee, and greater cooperation at the community level. Technical assistance from, and studies tours to, northern Thailand have shown provincial government and NGO staff many chances to see successful HIV/AIDS programming at work in an environment that shares many features with Yunnan.