The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will commit US$50 million to work in partnership with the Chinese government and non-governmental organizations to expand HIV prevention efforts.

The funding will increase access to HIV prevention programs targeting those most vulnerable to infection, including injection drug users, sex workers, and men who have sex with men.

"By rapidly expanding access to effective HIV prevention, China has an opportunity to prevent a widespread HIV/AIDS epidemic" said Dr. Tachi Yamada, president of the Gates Foundation's Global Health Program. "China's leaders say they are serious about fighting AIDS, and we're pleased to partner with them on these efforts"

Although China's national HIV prevalence is low at less than 0.1% of the total population, infection rates are high among key risk groups. For example, HIV prevalence among injection drug users exceeds 50% in some provinces, and in the past two years there have been substantial increases in HIV infection rates among men who have sex with men. Stigma and discrimination against people with HIV remain major problems in China. For example, the Gates Foundation says a 2005 study by researchers in Yunnan province found that nearly a third of doctors said they would refuse to treat an HIV-positive person.

Of the US$50 million committed, a US$20 million grant will go to the Chinese Ministry of Health. Decisions about specific programs to be supported with this grant will be made by the Office of the State Council AIDS Working Committee. The remaining US$30 million will be used to provide grants to local, national, and international non-governmental organizations.

A small team of Gates Foundation staff in Beijing will reportedly administer the funding and provide technical advice and support to the government and NGOs. The foundation's China office is led by Dr. Ray Yip, who was formerly the country director of China for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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