Vietnam determined to make HIV/AIDS strategy success

Vietnam is still determined to successfully implement a national strategy in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Nguyen Tat Thanh, Deputy Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations, made the statement at the plenary meeting of the 61st Session of the General Assembly in New York on May 22.

“Vietnam is making every efforts in implementing the National Strategy on the Prevention of and Fight against HIV/AIDS to the year 2010 and Vision 2020, which have the overall objective of keeping HIV/AIDS prevalence under 0.3 percent in 2010, achieving a zero increase rate thereafter,” Thanh said.
He also affirmed that Vietnam considers the battle against the disease as a priority target in all government agencies and local governmental bodies.

Alongside raising awareness on HIV/AIDS prevention among the population in urban, rural and mountainous areas, the country has set further targets to control the transmission from intravenous drug users and encourage widespread use of condoms. This is in addition to ensuring that people living with HIV/AIDS receive adequate care and treatment.

Other targets are to improve monitoring of the spread of the disease in all cities and provinces and prevent transmission via medical services.

The diplomat cited the Law on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control, which was approved by the National Assembly on June 2006, as a step forward in the country’s fight against the epidemic.

“The Law spells out the rights and responsibilities of individuals, government agencies, social organisations, communities and families in the joint fight against the epidemic,” he said.

“It expressly and authoritatively prohibits stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS and members of their families, including refusal of their employment or promotion on the basis of their HIV/AIDS status.”

“It also stipulates voluntary testing, confidentiality of test results, counselling services, access to antiretroviral (ARV) medicines and other aspects of the prevention, treatment, care and support.”

The Government is taking action now to put the law into place, he added.

According to the diplomat, while trying to increase the national budget for preventing and combating HIV/AIDS and cooperating with international donors and partners, Vietnam is also exploring ways and means to mobilise, channel and utilise resources more effectively and efficiently.

On May 7, 2007, the Prime Minister signed a decision to establish the Support Fund for the Treatment of People Living with HIV/AIDS, aimed at supporting the costs of medical examinations, treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS who are not covered by medical insurance and their spouses and children, he said.

"Vietnam will continue to scale up all efforts necessary and sufficient to achieve its national targets, MDG 6 and commitments under the Declaration of Commitments on HIV/AIDS and the Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS,” he concluded.