Community accompanies HIV/AIDS infections

The Ho Chi Minh City HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Association, the Vietnam Youth Union of Ho Chi Minh City in collaboration with Blue Sky Social Enterprise Company Limited and Home Clinic hosted the event.

The event responds to the National Action Month for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control and World AIDS Day (December 1), themed “Fairness and equality in access to HIV/AIDS prevention and control services - Towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030”, with various practical activities including seminars with experts and several exhibition areas providing useful information about modern healthcare services.

This is an annual event for the community of people living with and affected by HIV; and also an opportunity for the community to come together to support and improve the quality of life for people living with HIV.

Accompanying the event were Associate Professor Doctor Nguyen Thi Lien Huong, Deputy Minister of Health; Associate Professor Doctor Phan Thi Thu Huong, Director of the Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control; Doctor Tieu Thi Thu Van, President of the Ho Chi Minh City Association for HIV/AIDS Prevention along with many celebrities like Miss Universe Vietnam 2023 Bui Quynh Hoa, first runner-up Miss Grand Vietnam 2024 Le Phan Hanh Nguyen, first runner-up Miss Universe Vietnam 2024 Quynh Anh, beauty Nguyen Trang Nhung, beauty Le Vu Phuong.

In 2023, Vietnam recorded 13,445 new HIV infections and 1,623 deaths. Of which, the male rate accounted for almost 80 percent through sexually transmitted infection.

The Mekong Delta, Ho Chi Minh City and the Southeastern region accounted for the highest proportion of new infections. Notably, the HIV infection rate among men who have sex with men (MSM) is rapidly increasing, accounting for about 60 percent of new infections nationwide.

Apart from expanding community and online HIV testing services, Vietnam is focusing on preventive measures against infection such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for high-risk groups, particularly MSM; and intervention measures such as providing clean syringes and methadone replacement therapy to control HIV infection among injection drug users.

Despite treatment progress for over 178,000 HIV patients using antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, Vietnam still faces significant challenges in disseminating prevention and treatment measures nationwide.