China's 1st AIDS outpatient service launched (Xinhua) Updated: 2004-06-02 08:53
An outpatient service for dermatosis and AIDS has
been launched at the Shenzhen Hospital forPrevention and Treatment of Chronic
Diseases in south China's Guangdong Province.
It is considered the first outpatient service for AIDS in the Chinese
mainland.
Zhou Hua, deputy head of the hospital, said they would offer patients
consultation, testing, treatment on AIDS, as well as careand intervention they
need via the newly launched outpatient service.
"We keep dermatosis in the name of the outpatient service with the hope of
better protecting the privacy of patients, or they might have a feeling of being
isolated," said Zhou.
According to Zhou, his hospital also houses the Shenzhen City Center for
Prevention and Treatment of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) which is
responsible for affairs ranging from prevention and treatment, control,
scientific research and monitoring of STD and AIDS in the city.
Zhou believed the new service would also serve as a clinical platform for
execution of diverse programs designed to prevent andtreat AIDS inside the
hospital.
A total of 15 HIV patients were found via the center's former outpatient
service on dermatosis, of which, 11 HIV cases were discovered in the first five
months of the year, and 555 were found out of some 120,000 pregnant women to
suffer from syphilis.
Zhou added they were inviting personnel who would soon
be formed into a special public health nursing team designed to teachlocal
workers in the entertainment sector prevention methods against STD or
AIDS.
