AIDS is the most political disease in history, even in China. From the subscription—only South China Morning Post we learn that government officials in China believe that the extent of AIDS in China may have been overstated by about 20%: Authorities are reportedly in a bind over how to announce a new and supposedly more accurate HIV estimate that is significantly lower than previous figures. Senior officials said the assessment was now being verified by the World Health Organisation and UNAids experts. However, UNAids said it was waiting for Chinese officials to finalise the assessment. Hao Yang , a deputy director of disease control with the Ministry of Health, admitted that the joint assessment for last year by the central government and UNAids was lower than the 2003 assessment, but the final figure would have to be announced by the government. A government source also said the new assessment was significantly lower than the 2003 estimate of 840,000 HIV carriers....(Read Full Post)