At the ceremony (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Health held aceremony in Hanoi on August 25 to present the “For people’s health” insignia tothree foreign experts in recognition of their contributions to the Vietnamesehealth sector and the cause of HIV/AIDS prevention and control in particular.
The honoured experts were Marie-Odile Emond, CountryDirector of the Joint United Nations Programmeon HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) in Vietnam; John Michael Blandford, CountryDirector of the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC) inVietnam; and Paula Morgan, Deputy Director of the US CDC in Vietnam.
Marie-Odile Emond, who has worked as UNAIDS Country Directorin Vietnam since 2017, has helped strengthen national coordination in mobilisingand optimising the use of resources for the country’s HIV/AIDS, drug andprostitution prevention and control.
She also called for assistance to Vietnam in building legaldocuments and policies in the field.
Meanwhile, John Michael Blandford initiated and led the U=U(Undetectable = Untransmittable) campaign, orK=K in Vietnamese, making the US CDC in Vietnam the pioneer in implementing theUS President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)in the globe.
Together with the US CDCCountry Director, Paula Morgan directed the building of four PEPFAR Vietnam CountryOperational Plans (COPs) in the 2016-2020period to ensure sponsorship for the country’s HIV programmes through thesetting up of priorities in science and technology as well as the review and re-formingof annual goals for the seeking and treatment of people living with HIV.
Addressing the ceremony, Acting Minister of Health NguyenThanh Long highly valued the contributions and support of the foreign experts,especially in the coordination of resources, policy support and consultationsto Government agencies to draw out HIV’AIDS strategies.
He underlined that the Vietnamese health sector hopes forstronger international cooperation and more assistance from the internationalcommunity and organisations in the field of HIV/AIDS control.
He noted that the Prime Minister has approved a NationalStrategy on ending AIDS in 2030. So far, Vietnam is a bright spot in the worldin the HIV/AIDS fight, with the number of infections and deaths falling consecutivelysince 2008. Vietnam is also one of the four countries in the world with highestratio of treatment compliance./.
VNA
