Favourable legal framework needed to facilitate drug, HIV/AIDS prevention

Lao Cai (VNA) - The National Assembly's Social Affairs Committee, on September 24, organised a workshop to collect feedback on the draft revised Law On Drug Prevention and Control and Law on amendments and supplements to several articles of the Law on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control.

Taking place in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai’s Sa Pa town, the event gathered nearly 100 delegates from the committee, the Administration for HIV/AIDS Control, the UNAIDS programme, the Drug Crime Investigation Department, and Department of Social Vices Prevention and Combat. Representatives of centres for disease control and Departments of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs of many northern localities also attended.

Participants agreed upon the necessity of amending the laws to create a favourable legal framework for the work and ensure the institutionalisation of related Party’s guidelines and policies.

Nguyen Thi Bich Hue from the UNAIDS programme suggested changing and number of terms related to HIV/AIDS to ease social stigma against HIV and to put human at the centre instead of the disease.

Hue also recommended removing or changing the age at which a person can take voluntary HIV tests, which is currently 16 years old and above.

Many participants agreed with the suggestion, saying that in case the removal of the stipulation is not possible, under-15 people who are pregnant or at risk of being infected should be allowed to take consultations and tests with the support of a medical worker or a trained social worker.

Representatives of centres for disease control and departments of Lao Cai, Nam Dinh, Lai Chau, Hai Phong and Quang Ninh pointed to a number of shortcomings in implementation of the law on HIV/AIDS control, and asked for prompt amendments and supplements to encourage concerted engagement of the community in the fight against HIV to achieve the goal of eradicating the disease in 2030./.