The meeting in Can Tho city on June 13 discussed measures to ensure sustainable financial sources for HIV patients’ access to anti-HIV medicines (Photo: VNA) Can Tho (VNA) –The Ministry of Health (MoH) has been advised to amend some regulations so asto have 100 percent of people living with HIV covered by health insurance by2020.
The MoH’s Vietnam Administration of HIV/AIDSControl (VAAC) held a meeting in Can Tho city on June 13 to discuss measures toensure sustainable financial sources for HIV patients’ access to anti-HIVmedicines.
Data of the VAAC show that by the end of March2018, health insurance coverage reached 83.4 percent across the country. Hanoiand the provinces of Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Lang Son and Ca Mau recorded thehighest coverage of 100 percent. While 30 other provinces had the coverage ofover 90 percent, the rate was under 70 percent in only five provinces, namely DongNai, Quang Tri, Thanh Hoa, Binh Thuan and Ben Tre.
The health insurance coverage among HIV patientsreceiving antiretroviral (ARV) treatment nationwide was 83.4 percent by March2018.
There are 191 HIV/AIDS treatment centresproviding ARV therapy covered by health insurance at present, and they areexpected to give this treatment to more than 48,000 patients in 2019.
Duong Thuy Anh, head of the VAAC’sfinance-accounting division, said although the health insurance coverage amongHIV patients has grown fast, the increase remains unstable and unsustainable.This rate was 84 percent in September 2017 but dropped to 82 percent in lateDecember 2017 and then rebounded to reach 83.4 percent in March 2018, she said.
It will be not easy to achieve the goal of allHIV patients covered by health insurance by 2020 when about 10 percent ofpersons with HIV do not have personal papers, which will make them ineligibleto buy health insurance, Anh added.
At the meeting, many participants said the MoHand the Vietnam Social Security should seek ways to help those without personalpapers to participate in health insurance.
They noted the most important thing is that theMoH should not force all members of the families of HIV patients to buy healthinsurance, instead of making this compulsory as in the existing Circular 15,which guides insured medical examination and treatment for HIV-infected peopleand persons using relevant medical services, because some patients cannotafford buying household health insurance.
Sharing the same view, Stephanie De Goes,Country Coordinator of the US President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief(PEPFAR), said that, to have all people living with HIV covered by health insurance,the ministry should remove bottlenecks in Circular 15 to facilitate theiraccess to health insurance.-VNA
VNA
