China will implement a plan to further prevent and control HIV/AIDS from 2024 to 2030 to better carry out the Outline of Healthy China 2030 and maintain the health of the people, said a circular issued by the General Office of the State Council on Dec 11.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, remarkable results have been achieved in the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS. The proportion and quality of HIV-infected individuals and AIDS patients (hereinafter referred to as infected individuals) receiving antiviral treatment has been continuously improved, while the fatality rate has gradually decreased. Yet the country’s prevention and control of HIV/AIDS still faces challenges.

The plan stressed that the overall goal is to cut new HIV infections, reduce deaths, and maintain the overall epidemic at a low level while also specifying several goals.

Public awareness about HIV/AIDS prevention will be raised. By 2025, the awareness rate of HIV/AIDS prevention and control knowledge among residents will be over 90 percent, among key groups and those who are susceptible to HIV/AIDS due to risky behaviors will reach more than 95 percent, and that of rights and obligations of infected individuals will be over 95 percent, which will continue to be consolidated and improved by 2030.

Efforts will be stepped up to change risky behaviors. By 2025 and 2030, HIV/AIDS-related risky homosexual behaviors among men will be reduced by more than 10 percent compared with that in the previous five years, respectively. By 2025, the coverage rate of comprehensive intervention measures for people with high-risk behaviors susceptible to HIV/AIDS will be more than 95 percent, and the annual rate of new infections among people receiving medication-assisted treatment will be less than 0.2 percent, which will be maintained by 2030.

Transmission within families will be prevented. By 2025, the mother-to-child transmission rate of HIV/AIDS will be less than 2 percent, and the transmission rate of spouses in families where one spouse is infected with HIV/AIDS will be lower than 0.3 percent, which will be maintained by 2030.

The diagnostic and therapeutic effects will be improved. The proportion of infected individuals who have been diagnosed and are aware of their infection status will exceed 90 percent by 2025 and 95 percent by 2030. By 2025, the proportion of infected individuals diagnosed to receive antiviral treatment and the proportion of infected individuals receiving antiviral treatment whose virus are suppressed will be greater than 95 percent, and continue to consolidate and improve by 2030.

Population infection level will be controlled. By 2030, the infection rate of the whole population will be controlled below 0.2 percent.

Prevention and control measures should be taken to promote education and social mobilization, strengthen detection and monitoring, promote treatment and medical assistance, implement targeted prevention and control for different groups of people, and strengthen prevention and control in key regions.

Social governance will also be rolled out for HIV/AIDS prevention and control, including cracking down on illegal and criminal activities related to pornography, and risky behaviors spreading HIV/AIDS. Anti-drug work will be enhanced to better prevent and control HIV/AIDS.

The plan also called for efforts to strengthen organizational leadership, confirm responsibilities of local governments at all levels in the prevention and control work in their jurisdictions, and give full play to the coordinating role of HIV/AIDS prevention and control committees at all levels.

The office of the working committee for HIV/AIDS prevention and control under the State Council should organize relevant departments and organizations to carry out research and guidance on planning and implementation, according to the plan.