China will be offering free antiretroviral therapy for its citizens suffering from HIV/AIDS, the National Health and Family Planning Commission announced on Wednesday.

Such initiative under the country's newly revised guideline will help more than half a million people living with HIV/AIDS in the country and will curb its spread, especially among the younger generations.

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Before, only patients with low immunity level were offered this opportunity, since it is at this state that citizens with HIV/AIDS face severe health threat, leading to life-threatening infections such as pneumonia or encephalitis.

Under the new guidelines, citizens living with HIV/AIDS are recommended to undergo the antiviral therapy. However, the agency noted that this is on a voluntary basis, saying, "treatment facilities must not force people to receive the therapy." Furthermore, citizens should be ready to fully commit themselves to the lifelong treatment.

Meanwhile, Wu Hao, director of the Department of Infectious Diseases at You An Hospital, welcomed the move, saying, "it helps with better treatment outcomes for the sufferer and for public health as well. Informed consent therefore is required to help sufferers prepare for the lifelong therapy."

On the other hand, Bao Yugang, Asia bureau chief of the US-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation, reemphasized the need for citizens' commitment to drug compliance, as this is very vital not only for the efficacy of the drugs but also for the avoidance of drug resistance.

Of the 577,000 people registered as living with HIV/AIDS in China, about 390,000 are undergoing therapy. Last year, over 100,000 received therapy, and it is expected that the figure will double this year.

Tagsantiretroviral therapy, HIV, AIDS, National Health and Family Planning Commission