Venereal Disease and AIDS Project

Description

Prevention and care to counter rapidly rising infection rates.

Since the 1980s Qinghai's venereal disease has slowly been emerging and is now increasing at a fast rate. According to statistics, the ratio of the spread of diseases has been rising from 0.95/100,000 in 1986 to 36/100,000 in 2002. Prevention and precaution methods for venereal diseases took off on a rather late start so it is still now very far from being perfect. A great number of cases have not been reported. It is estimated that there are 10-20 times of actually reported cases. The expert predicted that the number will continue to raise by 20,000 every year.

In 2001, it is reported that there are about 13.92 cases out of every 100,000 people. 14.47 cases were reported in pasturing area out of every 100,000. In April of 2002, Qinghai Health Bureau sent experts and specialists to perform check-ups of venereal diseases for 600 Tibetan herdsmen. The ratio was 14.61%.

The herdsmen scatter quite widespread. The hyiene education service is very poort in the pasturing area. They are unaware of the severe crisis these diseases are imposing and are therefore unable to adapt proper measures to fight this battle. The lack of venereal diseases knowledge could be one of the main reasons why its spreading was so rapid around the province.

In 1998, there was only one reported case of AIDS in Qinghai, while in 2001, the reported cases reached 11. According to WHO's AIDS report, 75% of the 40,000 AIDS infections are frm sexual intercourse. The underdeveloped economy and the education in Qinghai led to the lack of hygiene and healthcare knowledge. Besides, in the past few years, more and more herdsmen left their home to engage in livestock trade. That directly caused a fast increasing of sex business in the trade areas. So there definitely exists some hidden danger in the possible increase of AIDS victims among the herdsmen area.

The above-mentioned reasons created a urgent need of education and popularization of prevention knowledge of venereal disease and HIV/AIDS.

Planned Activity:
1. Make 2 sets of exhibition board in Chinese and Tibetan language;

2. Print 20,000 booklets in Chinese and Tibetan;

3. Make a video on prevention of venereal disease and HIV/AIDS in Chinese and Tibetan languauges and make 1,000 copies VCD;

4. Set-up a radio broadcasting program presented in the Tibetan language; and

5. Conduct health education training to local health workers.

Expectations:
1. Promoting the general awareness of venereal disease and AIDS prevention methods; and

2. Improve professional knowledge of local medical personnel and health educators.