The city's new three-year health plan will launch new measures combating the growing number of AIDS cases in the city, Shanghai health officials said yesterday.

"There were 718 new HIV carriers and 53 AIDS patients last year, the highest amount of HIV/AIDS cases detected in one year," said Cai Wei, vice director of Shanghai Health Bureau. "Under the plan, authorities will further promote the use of condom machines in entertainment venues and set up 10 clinics with narcotics substitutes to drug addicts to prevent the spread of AIDS."

The plan also calls for a focus on emergency response, disease prevention and control, neighborhood medical services, first aid and health supervision.

The city will set up 20 neighborhood chronic-disease prevention and control centers to enhance monitoring. 

A neighborhood-based chronic disease management network will also be established.

"The city will further support the development of neighborhood health services. By 2008, the government budget for neighborhood health care should be no less than 40 yuan (US$5.17) per resident in the area," Cai said.

By 2009, Shanghai will have 110 first aid branches equipped with 500 ambulances, according to the plan. There are now 75 such branches with about 300 ambulances.

Prenatal examination and diagnosis and disease screening for newborns will also be brought in.

The plan aims to keep the mortality of pregnant women to within 10 in every 100,000, the mortality of infants to within five in every 1,000 and children younger than five years old to within seven in every 1,000.

(Shanghai Daily April 13, 2007)