At the meeting (Source: dangcongsan.vn) Da Nang (VNA) - Nearly 2,500 people,including representatives from ministries, departments, internationalorganisations and local residents, attended a meeting in the central city of DaNang on November 27 to call for non-discrimination against those living with HIV/AIDS.
The event aims to respond to the national action month for HIV/AIDS preventionand control, and mark the World AIDS Day (December 1).
Speaking at the event, Deputy Health MinisterNguyen Thanh Long highlighted the significant achievements Vietnam has made in HIV/AIDSprevention and control over the past 26 years.
The year 2016 marked the nine consecutive yearVietnam witnessed the reduction in the numbers of new HIV infections, cases ofHIV developing into full-blown AIDS, and AIDS-related fatalities, Long said.
Vietnam has carried out comprehensive andeffective measures to combat HIV/AIDS while focusing to care, support and cure peopleliving with HIV/AIDS, he reiterated.
Vietnam has actively responded to the 90-90-90goals set by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UN AIDS),that ensure at least 90 percent of all people with HIV will know their status,and that 90 percent of people diagnosed with HIV will receive sustainedantiretroviral (ARV) therapy and, 90 percent of all people receiving ARVtherapy will be diagnosed with viral suppression.
The Deputy Minister called for a drastic andjoint effort to combat HIV/AIDS, with focus on early HIV/AIDS screening andtesting.
Localities should also push forward with effortsto realise the Three-Zero target of no new HIV infection, no death from AIDSand no discrimination against HIV/AIDS carriers.
Ali Safarnejad from the UN AIDS said this yearmarked the second year in a row Vietnam observed World AIDS Day with a determinationto realise the UN’s goals of 90-90-90 and look forward to end the epidemic by2030.
He also underlined remarkable achievementsVietnam has made in HIV/AIDS prevention and control work, saying that around 80percent of HIV-infected cases in Vietnam have been tested, diagnosed and awareof their situation, and over half of them are receiving ARV therapy, stayingbelow viral suppression.
In Vietnam, about 10,000 HIV cases were detectedin 2015, down from 18,000 in 2010. HIV-linked deaths also declined from 3,200to 2,000 during the past five years.-VNA
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