China should do more in the fight against HIV/AIDS despite the disease affecting only 0.06 percent of its population, first lady Peng Liyuan said on Monday.
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Peng said efforts should be stepped up to help sufferers, especially those in hard-hit areas.
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There were 810,000 people with HIV/AIDS living in China at the end of last year, according to the latest update issued on Monday by the National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention. But only 490,000 of these sufferers have been detected to date and the remainder are unaware of their status.
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The estimate is updated every two years, and the previous one stood at 780,000.
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Peng said efforts must be promoted in caring for those with the disease, in fighting discrimination, in giving patients access to medical care and in ensuring social justice. She was speaking at the 2014 National Conference on HIV/AIDS in Beijing.
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Peng, the World Health Organization’s goodwill ambassador for HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, said she will continue to meet the obligations of her WHO role.