Vietnam’s anti-HIV/AIDS project has helped the central province of Thua Thien-Hue reduce the number of people affected by the disease from 100-132 cases each year during the 2006-2009 period to 70-98 in the 2010-2013 phase.

The statistics were released at a recent conference in the locality to review how the project has panned out.

Carried out in the province since 2010, the World Bank-funded project has brought about many positive outcomes.

Nearly 44,000 drug users and over 127,000 prostitutes received consultancy and more than 1,000 were introduced to medical stations for health check-ups and treatment under the project.

In addition to reducing the rate of people living with HIV/AIDS, the project has helped local people better understand the disease and the measures to prevent infections, while reducing cases of discrimination.

As of June 2013, the province detected 319 HIV carriers and 143 AIDS patients who are still alive. The virus has killed a confirmed 307 people in the locality so far.

The locality will continue directing the Health Department and related agencies to effectively implement the national target programme on HIV/AIDS prevention and control as well as intensifying awareness activities held in the area.

According to the Administration of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control (VAAC), as of September 30, there were 218,427 people living with HIV in Vietnam , including 65,729 AIDS patients. The deadly virus also killed 66,116 people nationwide.

In the first nine months of this year, the country saw an average of 43 new infections every day, the administration added.-VNA