ARV treatment for HIV patient. (Source: VNA)
HCM City (VNA) - Authorities of Ho Chi Minh City have set a target of curbing the rate of new HIV cases at 0.03 percent in the community by 2020, and controlling the rate of people living with HIV at 0.6 percent in 2016-2020.
The target is included in a plan on HIV/AIDS control for the next five years announced at a conference in the locality on November 11.
Under the plan, which is designed according to the United Nations’ "90-90-90" targets, the city will focus on providing friendly testing and consulting services to people with HIV/AIDS, expanding care services and eradicating discrimination against them in community.
Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Hua Ngoc Thuan said as one of the five localities in Vietnam selected to implement the UN goals in the context of dropping foreign aid, HCM City is facing great challenges.
However, he said he believes that the city will gain positive results in its efforts to fight HIV/AIDS thanks to the engagement of the entire political system.
At least 41,841 people with HIV live in HCM City and the city is estimated to have 14,038 more people with HIV to need treatment by 2020.
The UN’s 90-90-90 Plan aims at: 90 percent of people living with HIV will know their status, 90 percent of people who know their status are on regular antiretroviral (ARV) treatment and 90 percent of all people on treatment will have undetectable levels of HIV in their body (known as viral suppression).
So far, HCM City has set up 14 establishments offering Methadone therapy to drug addicts, with over 3,000 addicts receiving treatment so far. It intends to put six more facilities into operation by the end of this year.
The programme on preventing HIV transmission from mother to child has been carried out at 57 medical establishments, providing precautionary treatment to nearly 90 percent of HIV-positive pregnant women and 99.8 percent of newborns of HIV-infected mothers.
The city plans to manage HIV patients receiving ARV therapy through electronic medical records or phone messages. This will help keep track of the patients and ensure that 90 percent of them have viral suppression by 2020.
An national action month on HIV/AIDS prevention is taking place in HCM City beginning from November 10, with various activities such as an exhibition featuring the city’s efforts in combating HIV/AIDS and communication campaigns to popularise the Law on HIV/AIDS prevention and control, and related regulations.-VNA
