National Hiv/Aids Case Management

China's approach to HIV case management has evolved from little to none before the "Four Frees and One Care" policy was issued in 2004 to a complex two-stage system whereby people with diagnosed HIV infection were managed differently depending on whether they were or were not eligible for antiretroviral therapy (ART). Those in the pre-ART period were followed by local epidemiologists, while those who had initiated ART were followed by ART doctors. Unfortunately, many PLWH were lost to follow-up in the pre-ART period. However, after CD4 count-based ART eligibility requirements were abolished in 2016, HIV case management could be integrated into ART service delivery. This evolution reflects China's consistent, pragmatic approach to evidence-based policymaking that allows new findings and innovative strategies to be quickly adopted in order to benefit as many PLWH as possible.