Support for HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities

By the end of June 2017, Thai Nguyen had more than 9,600 people living with HIV, in the group of 5 provinces and cities with the highest rate of HIV infection in the country. To test and connect patients to the HIV/AIDS care and treatment program, the American Aids Fund for AIDS Aids (AHF) has supported Thai Nguyen A Hospital to deploy HIV/AIDS outpatient clinics.

Mr. Chhim Sarath, AHF Regional Representative in Asia said: AHF is the largest non-governmental organization about HIV/AIDS care and treatment in the United States. With the mission of "life-giving treatment regardless of patient's payment" AHF's programs focus on providing HIV diagnosis, care and treatment services. With the goal of global advocacy for the 20 million patients treatment by 2020, it contributes and targets 90-90-90 (90% of people infected HIV know their HIV status, 90% of people diagnosed with HIV has been continuously treated with antiretroviral therapy and 90% of those treated with ARV have a low and stable viral load). Currently, AHF is implementing programs in 38 countries globally including Vietnam.

 Under the project "HIV/AIDS Prevention, Care and Treatment Connected Between Health Facilities and Prisons", on August 03, AHF collaborated with Thai Nguyen A Hospital, Center for HIV/AIDS prevention and control hold the grand opening the HIV/AIDS outpatient clinic. With this event, Thai Nguyen became the 10th province supported by AHF in Vietnam. As part of the co-ordination program, AHF will provide technical and financial support for Thai Nguyen A Hospital's  to continue providing HIV counseling and testing services; Test, diagnosis and treatment of HIV related opportunistic infections; Prophylaxis for opportunistic infections and HIV for antiretroviral antiretroviral therapy (ARV) is available for everyone in need of testing as well as HIV care and treatment, especially focus on high-risk group (injecting drug users, sex workers ...)

Specialist II, Ha Hai Bang, Deputy Director of Thai Nguyen Hospital informed that being the leading unit in HIV/AIDS treatment in the province, the hospital has implemented treatment for HIV patients with drug resistance. Until now, the hospital's HIV/AIDS outpatient clinic has been treating antiretrovirals for over 1,700 patients. Support from the AHF Foundation will make the clinic work better, giving patients a free HIV test and easier access to HIV/AIDS treatment programs than ever before.

In addition to providing support to the outpatient clinic at A Hospital, the AHF also provides support to ARV clinics for HIV infected people in prison, which supports the connection of the ARV clinic with the Phu Son 4 Detention Center, helping people living with HIV/AIDS in prison to receive ARV treatment. After 2 years of implementation with the support of AHF, Phu Son detention center is treating ARV antiretroviral drugs for over 800 prisoners, testing HIV for more than 14,400 prisoners.

Ms. Le Ai Kim Anh, Director of the HIV/AIDS Prevention and control Center said there are currently 9,600 people living with HIV in the province, of which 3,391 have died of AIDS. In order to minimize the number of new HIV infections and the number of AIDS deaths, the province has effectively implemented many programs and projects aimed at communicating HIV/AIDS prevention, testing and treatment. Thanks to AHF fund, HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities in Thai Nguyen will continue to be implemented more effectively to help reduce difficulties in HIV/AIDS prevention, especially for poor HIV/AIDS patients who do not have health insurance.