Provincial and local health departments are being asked to apply for funding for HIV/AIDS research as China raises its battle against the disease to a "comprehensive level."

A recent Ministry of Health (MOH) release said AIDS killed 80 people across China in May, becoming the fourth deadliest infectious disease after tuberculosis, rabies and hepatitis.

The ministry also issued a circular last week to health departments across the country seeking research topics related to the prevention and control of the pandemic.

Any research is encouraged as long as it involves the evaluation of China's overall strategy and policies on HIV/AIDS control and prevention, the assessment of the distribution and use of resources in the anti-HIV/AIDS campaign, and/or the exploration of effective AIDS education and prevention.

Once approved, funding will be provided by the ministry and the research should start immediately.

"The emphasis of this year's research is to evaluate the country's overall strategy and policies on HIV/AIDS control and prevention," said ministry official Lei Suwen, who is charged with collecting applications.

"The research will be financed by the Chinese government," Lei said. He did not know how much would be spent on each research project or the whole program, or whether funding would be assessed by need.

Last year, the Chinese government funded research into 11 AIDS-related areas.

A World Health Organization (WHO) official yesterday spoke highly of this latest effort by China.

"It comes at a very proper time," Zhao Pengfei, senior AIDS program officer with the WHO's Beijing Office, said.

But Zhao said little had been done by the Chinese government on the efficient use of HIV/AIDS funding and the most effective way to conduct AIDS education and prevention, despite the fact that a lot of money is being injected into the anti-HIV/AIDS cause.

By 2007, the Chinese government would have spent 3.9 billion yuan (US$474 million) on helping local governments fight the disease.

The United States also pledged last week to contribute US$35 million over the next three years in a joint effort with China to combat AIDS.

"So it's of great importance to use funds effectively, but that's not the case now in many provinces, such as central and southwest China's Henan and Yunnan provinces," said Zhao.

Zhao also warned that the subject of AIDS and safe-sex education might become a mere formality or slogan, so an assessment is urgently needed to test the effectiveness of the programs.

Some local health departments have not even received the circular, and applications for funding must be received by July 15.

Wang Kaili, deputy director of the Disease Control and Prevention Department in Heilongjiang Province, said he had not seen the circular yet, but described the research as "a tough job."

(China Daily June 13, 2005)