Consultation and testing for HIV patient (Source: VNA) The Administration for HIV/AIDS Control under the Ministry of Health released a new handbook for the treatment and care of HIV/AIDS patients at a conference on July 31.
The handbook provides instructions on HIV consultation and testing, antiretroviral (ARV) medicine treatment and preventive medical services for those with the virus.
Speaking at a conference to review HIV/AIDS prevention efforts from 2005-2015, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long highlighted Vietnam’s achievements in slowing the increasing rate of HIV/AIDS patients as well as reducing fatalities related to HIV/AIDS.
According to Head of the Administration for HIV/AIDS Control Nguyen Hoang Long, after the first case was discovered in Ho Chi Minh City in 1990, Vietnam was home to 227,144 living HIV carriers residing in all 63 provinces and cities, as of June 2015.
However, experts estimate that there are actually around 260,000 people living with HIV in the community.
At present, 62 out of the 63 provinces and cities have set up HIV/AIDS Control Centres under their Health Departments and 50 percent of districts have HIV/AIDS treatment facilities. There are also more than 1,300 testing facilities across the country.
Vietnam is one of the first countries in the world to successfully pilot the World Health Organisation’s Treatment 2.0 Initiative to bring testing and ARV treatment services to commune-level health stations./.
