Beijing (CNN) -- When an old widower from the central Chinese city of Wuhan went into hospital last summer because of a persistent high fever, he was diagnosed with the AIDS virus -- and made national news.
CNN北京报道：近日，一位来自中国中部城市武汉的年老鳏夫因为高烧不退到医院看病，结果被诊断出感染上了艾滋病毒。这一消息立刻在中国引起了轰动。
The man, in his late 70s, had frequently hired prostitutes after his wife died, and doctors believe he contracted the HIV virus -- which can eventually develop into full-blown AIDS -- through unprotected sex, the official Xinhua news agency reported.
据新华社报道，这位近80岁的老汉在妻子去世后经常召妓；医生们认为他正是通过不安全性行为感染上HIV病毒的，这种病毒会逐渐发展为艾滋病。
With the population rapidly aging, more than 10% of China's 1.3 billion people are now over the age of 60, census figures show. Improving living standards mean many Chinese are living and remaining sexually active for longer.
人口普查数据显示，随着中国老龄化速度加快，目前，13亿人口中有超过10%的人在60岁以上。不断提高的生活标准意味着，许多中国人能够享受性生活的时间延长了。
But now the threat of HIV/AIDS looms large over a segment of Chinese society not previously known for a high prevalence of cases: senior citizens.
但是现在，来自艾滋病的威胁正逼近这一大部分中国人口：老年群体。之前，他们并不被认为是艾滋病的高发人群。
What is HIV/AIDS?
什么是艾滋病？
Among new HIV-positive cases nationwide, those over the age of 50 accounted for almost 15% at the end of 2009 -- a sharp rise from less than 8% just four years earlier, according to a recent report by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The center said most patients were male and contracted the virus through unprotected sex.
最近，一份来自于中国疾病预防控制中心的报告显示：截止2009年底，在全国范围内新的艾滋病感染病例中，年龄在50岁以上的病人占了近15%；这跟四年前不到8%的数据相比，有了大幅度的增加。疾控中心还表示，绝大多数患者都是男性，并且是通过不安全性行为受到感染的。
The United Nations has estimated 780,000 people will be living with the AIDS virus in China by the end of this year and more than half of them are unaware of their condition. Chinese officials acknowledge the real figure may be higher, particularly among the elderly.
据联合国估计，到今年年底，中国将有78万人感染上艾滋病毒，其中超过半数都不清楚自己的真实处境。中国官员则认为这一数字可能更高，尤其是在老年群体中。
West must not give up on AIDS fight
西方国家必须坚持防治艾滋病
"It's very hard for us to obtain an exact number due to our limited ability to monitor and report the epidemic situation in this age group," Hao Yang, deputy director of the Health Ministry's disease control bureau, told a health seminar in Beijing last year.
去年，中国卫生部疾控局副局长郝阳在北京的一个研讨会上说：“由于我们的能力有限，不能一一监督和报道这一群体中流行病的传播情况；因此对我们来说，要得出确切的感染患者数量相当困难。”
"Older people are more prone to having medical conditions that require surgeries and hospitals are stricter on pre-operative checks -- that's how many of them are notified of their HIV status for the first time."
“老人们更需要一种要求外科手术和医院对术前检查更为严格的医疗条件，很多老人就是在这种时候才第一次得知他们感染上艾滋病毒的状况。”
Researchers say the lure of easy sex with prostitutes -- the average price paid a relatively modest $5.5 -- and the lack of safe sex knowledge among their generation have exposed an increasing number of Chinese senior citizens to the danger of HIV/AIDS.
研究者们称，行对容易就能买春（中等价位的平均水平仅为5.5美元）以及缺乏安全性行为的相关知识使与日俱增的中国老年群体处于受艾滋病感染的危险之中。
Another 30 years of AIDS?
艾滋病肆掠的又一个30年？
Hao said his ministry had already started including the elderly in its HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention campaigns, which previously targeted only younger people and high-risk groups like migrant laborers and sex workers.
郝阳表示，疾控局已经开启了包括提高老年人防艾意识在内的宣传活动，而在这之前，这一活动主要针对年轻人和农民工、性工作者等艾滋病高发人群。
But many activists view the government effort as inadequate in dealing with a burgeoning problem, especially as senior citizens diagnosed with the AIDS virus tend to face far greater difficulties and discrimination in China than their younger counterparts.
但许多活动分子认为，中国政府在处理这样一个愈演愈烈的问题时所做的努力还不够，尤其是这些被确诊为艾滋病患者的老年人很可能要面对更多的困难和歧视，这些困难和歧视要比年轻患者所面对的多得多。
"Traditionally the elderly are the respected members of family and society, but once infected with HIV, they become a disgrace and face harsh moral judgments," said Zhang Biao, whose non-governmental organization AIDS Care in China has counseled elderly patients in southwestern China for five years.
非政府组织“爱之关怀”（AIDS Care China）已经在中国西南部调查老年艾滋病患者长达五年了。来自这一组织的张彪表示：“传统上，老年人是家庭和社会中受人尊敬的成员，但他们一旦感染了艾滋病，就会变得不光彩并面临着严苛的道德评判。”
"People of their age are usually pillars of their households, taking care of both their parents and children," he added. "But instead, these patients now have to rely on their families to support them financially and
psychologically."
他补充说：“他们这个年纪的人通常都是家庭的顶梁柱，上有老下有小；但现在他们在经济上和心理上都必须依靠自己的家人。”
Others echo Zhang's sentiment, adding that elderly patients remain neglected in state-sponsored AIDS treatment and prevention programs.
其他人也同意张彪的观点，他们补充说老年患者在国家资助的艾滋病治疗和预防项目中都是被忽视的群体。
"Currently AIDS patients are required to provide proof of residence and employment to receive basic care at public hospitals," said Yu Tian, a volunteer with Shanghai-based NGO Leyi.
余天是上海一个叫Leyi的非政府组织的志愿者，他告诉我们说：“目前，艾滋病患者要在公立医院接受基本的治疗必须出示居住证和就业证明。”
"But many elderly patients are either unemployed or unable to work due to their medical conditions -- making them ineligible for subsidized antiviral treatment."
“但许多老年患者由于医疗条件所限，既没有就业也不能工作，这就使得他们没有资格享受国家补助的抗毒治疗。”
Activists have called on the government to overhaul its HIV/ AIDS policy and allow NGOs to receive more international funding and cooperation.
活动分子呼吁政府尽快出台艾滋病相关政策，并允许国内非政府组织接受更多的国际基金，加强国际合作。
"We are willing to work with other experts to reach out to the elderly and teach them the concept of safe sex," said Yu. "There's so much room for improvement in this area."
余天进一步表示：“我们愿意和其他的专家一起接近老年患者，向他们宣传安全性行为的知识。在这个领域，需要改进的空间太大了。”
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发表于 2011-12-4 19:47
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