China, Africa to begin 3-year project on HIV, AIDS prevention

China, African countries and relevant international organisations, will in 2019 begin implementation of a three-year project on HIV and AIDS prevention among adolescents and health promotion at community level.

The wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Peng Liyuan, made this known on Tuesday at a China-Africa meeting on HIV and AIDS prevention and control in Beijing.

Peng, together with 37 spouses of African heads of state and government, launched an initiative at the meeting for joint efforts by China and Africa to combat HIV and AIDS.

She said making concerted efforts against HIV and AIDS has become a global consensus.

Peng called for cooperation between China and Africa in this regard to reviewed her work as the World Health Organisation (WHO) Goodwill Ambassador for Tuberculosis and HIV and AIDS.

She said the on-going Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation has provided new opportunities for deepening China-Africa cooperation on HIV and AIDS control.

At the meeting, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and Michel Sidibe, executive director of the Joint UN Programme on HIV and AIDS, made positive comments on China-Africa cooperation on combating HIV and AIDS and highly commended Peng’s outstanding contributions to raising awareness of HIV and AIDS prevention and caring for patients.

China has been actively supporting African countries in combating HIV and AIDS, sending medical teams to more than 40 African countries and providing them with free medicine, medical equipment and supplies.