Contributions of international cooperation projects to the HIV/AIDS response in China

Sun, Jiangping; Liu, Hui; Li, Hui; Wang, Liqiu; Guo, Haoyan; Shan, Duo; Bulterys, Marc; Korhonen, Christine; Hao, Yang; Ren, Minghui

International cooperation projects support China's HIV/AIDS prevention and control efforts in a number of ways. First, international projects have brought important funding to China, significantly increasing HIV/AIDS program resources. More importantly, along with the projects, there are concepts, strategies, best practices and innovative models concerning HIV/AIDS control and prevention. By influencing the HIV/AIDS policy environment, building institutional infrastructure, strengthening capacity and developing civil society, new concepts and strategies have been put into effect in several areas and have dramatically improved China's response to HIV/AIDS. In addition, the effects of international cooperation have allowed China to reach a level where China is now taking on a more active role in supplying international aid to other countries for their own HIV/AIDS response. 6, 7 Making up for deficiencies in HIV/AIDS resources Although the Chinese government has increased domestic annual funding for HIV/AIDS prevention and control to 4100 million USD, 1 the actual needs ii16 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY remain far greater. 8 Funding from international cooperation makes up for this deficiency to a great extent and accounts for one-third of the total funding for HIV/AIDS programs since 1988.