Construction work in greater Kunming on China's first provincial-level HIV/AIDS treatment center has finished, according to Chinese media reports citing Yunnan health officials. The US$17.5 million center is located 28 km from downtown Kunming and is scheduled to begin operations before year-end.

The center is expected to have six main departments: clinical treatment, technical consulting, research and development, international exchange and cooperation, clinical treatment training and psychological therapy.

Yunnan, with a population of more than 45 million, leads China in HIV/AIDS infections - primarily spread through intravenous drug use and unsafe sex, often involving the sex industry. According to official statistics, by the end of last year Yunnan was home to more than 48,000 HIV-infected patients, 3,900 patients with AIDS and a death toll of 1,768.

The center will likely cooperate with many of the NGOs in Kunming that are focused on HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention. These organizations are working with provincial and local officials to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS among high-risk groups and prevent crossover into lower-risk groups.