The awareness and responsibilities of youth and central organisations vis-à-vis the HIV/AIDS pandemic were discussed at a seminar in Hanoi on Nov. 27.

Researches showed that awareness on HIV/AIDS among young Vietnamese is high but there remain a large number of ethnic youths with only a vague picture of the disease.

Many delegates said that in combating HIV/AIDS, the main issue is not only to prevent and control the disease, but also to oppose discrimination against HIV carriers.

In fact, people living with HIV in many localities have received assistance from their local authorities to stabilize their lives, said the participants, adding that the viewpoint that HIV/AIDS is a social evil has changed. HIV/AIDS is considered as a disease and its sufferers also have the right to live, work and receive treatment like people contracting other diseases, they noted.

The participants also highlighted dissemination work which focuses on how the disease is spread and the way to consider AIDS as a disease, and praised those who are doing an outstanding job in this effort.

The delegates applauded multi-sectoral cooperation, the Vietnamese Party and State’s policies and the assistance of non-governmental and foreign organizations to diversify dissemination work, change people’s behaviour on the pandemic and increase each individual’s responsibility in HIV/AIDS prevention and control.

By June 30, 2009, Vietnam has more than 149,000 HIV carriers and 32,400 AIDS patients still alive. HCM City is the locality with the highest number of HIV/AIDS sufferers. Drug users and prostitutes are high-risk groups, according to a report from the Health Ministry’s Anti-HIV Department.

The HIV pandemic has neither been got under control nor increased as fast as previous years but the spread of the disease will increase unless effective intervention measures are taken, said the department./.