With a population of 1.3 billion people, China is the most populous country in the world. Despite its rapid economic growth in recent years, China remains the largest developing country in the world. It is also one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries. Disasters affect an average of 300 million people in China every year.
Canadian Red Cross Support
The Canadian Red Cross directly supports programs in the areas of health, disaster relief and preparedness, many in ethnic minority communities in Western China. The Canadian Red Cross was one of the world’s largest contributors to relief and recovery efforts after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, and supports ongoing humanitarian assistance programs in Sichuan and Gansu provinces. A collaborative initiative will also help the Chinese Red Cross build its capacity to respond to international emergencies.
Red Cross peer education workshop designated for HIV/AIDS prevention, reduction of stigma and discrimination among students.
Preventing HIV/AIDS
The Canadian Red Cross partners with the Chinese Red Cross in HIV/AIDS prevention programs for key affected communities in Sichuan Province.
Services for injection drug users
Projects in Deyang Prefecture reduce high-risk behaviours for injection drug users undergoing methadone maintenance treatment. The program increases compliance with drug treatment, and reduces HIV transmission. Peer educators trained by the Red Cross reach out to other at-risk people, and share information about drug treatment, discuss ways to reduce the spread of HIV, and distribute condoms. Red Cross facilities provide counselling and referral services to at-risk clients.
Red Cross volunteers working at the Red Cross “Drop-in” Centre in Deyang of Sichuan Province.
Services for commercial sex workers
In Nanchong Prefecture the Red Cross partnership program trains commercial sex workers to educate their peers on methods to prevent the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STI). The program distributes condoms and increases access to HIV and STI testing and treatment. The Red Cross also runs support group meetings for people living with HIV.
Building grassroots health capacity
A Canadian Red Cross partnership with the Chinese Red Cross has been working since 1999 to reduce communities’ vulnerability to emergencies and address non-disaster needs.
The Canadian Red Cross supports health facilities at the most grassroots level in rural Xinjiang Province, in Western China. The program builds the capacity of rural health posts in remote villages by providing basic equipment and training for health workers. This allows these small health posts to provide quality health care to some of the communities’ most vulnerable people.
Village health clinic in Xinjiang Province, supported by the Canadian Red Cross