Mental healthcare for China's HIV carriers and AIDS patients is inadequate at the grassroots level, according to an evaluation funded by the Global Fund AIDS Program.

The evaluation, conducted by the Huazhong University of Science and Technology among HIV/AIDS patients in four counties in central China's Hubei Province, shows most Chinese HIV carriers and AIDS patients had serious mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression.

However, mental healthcare was insufficient, according to a report in China Population News.

At the grassroots level, AIDS medical workers are poor at recognizing the mental health problems.

Associate Professor Wu Junlin, who presided over the evaluation, said," AIDS patients generally suffer tremendous mental pressure. Mental healthcare can be effective in controlling their illness."

Wu also said medical personnel at grassroots level should be trained to recognise mental health problems and offer appropriate assistance.

The Ministry of Health estimates there are about 650,000 HIV/AIDS cases in China, including 75,000 AIDS patients. The number of Chinese newly infected was around 70,000 last year, and 25,000 died of AIDS in 2005.

(Xinhua News Agency June 29, 2006)