Gates Foundation and China launch USD 50m AIDS campaign

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will launch a USD 50m HIV and AIDS prevention campaign in partnership with the Chinese government and non-governmental organisations in the region.

The partnership will expand prevention programmes in 12 major cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and the island province of Hainan, with the aim of referring people at high-risk of HIV infection to voluntary counselling and testing centres.

The programme will serve groups including men who have sex with men (MSM), injecting drug users and sex workers. Around USD 20m of the initial grant will go to the Chinese Ministry of Health and the remaining USD 30m will be used to provide grants to local, national and international NGOs.

The programme will include training to reduce high-risk behaviour, public education campaigns and expanding HIV testing programmes. The China campaign will be similar to the Gates Foundation's Avahan programme in India.