The UN Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has funded a 700,000 USD project on HIV control and treatment for prisons in Vietnam, which was launched in Hanoi on April 22.
The project, running from now to March, 2011, aims to increase understanding among both prison officers and prisoners of the fight against HIV/AIDS and help medical personnel in temporary holding facilities and prisons detect, screen, diagnose and medically treat the carriers of the deadly virus as well as manage and control its spread.
UNODC-Vietnam Acting Manager Jason Eligh said the project would start a cooperation programme between his agency and the Ministry of Public Security in HIV/AIDS control.
He also pledged to provide further financial assistance for the ministry to continue with the project.
Dr. Pham Quang Cu, Deputy General Director of the Technical Logistics General Department under the Ministry of Public Security, said Vietnam now runs some 100 temporary holding facilities and prisons which keep an estimated 90,000 prisoners.
As many as 30 percent of prisoners use drugs, posing a high risk of HIV/AIDS infection, Cu said./.
The project, running from now to March, 2011, aims to increase understanding among both prison officers and prisoners of the fight against HIV/AIDS and help medical personnel in temporary holding facilities and prisons detect, screen, diagnose and medically treat the carriers of the deadly virus as well as manage and control its spread.
UNODC-Vietnam Acting Manager Jason Eligh said the project would start a cooperation programme between his agency and the Ministry of Public Security in HIV/AIDS control.
He also pledged to provide further financial assistance for the ministry to continue with the project.
Dr. Pham Quang Cu, Deputy General Director of the Technical Logistics General Department under the Ministry of Public Security, said Vietnam now runs some 100 temporary holding facilities and prisons which keep an estimated 90,000 prisoners.
As many as 30 percent of prisoners use drugs, posing a high risk of HIV/AIDS infection, Cu said./.
