Vietnam Cannot Erase HIV by 2030 on Multiple Challenges: Official

Vietnam will not likely eliminate HIV/AIDS pandemic by 2020 without the whole society’s efforts, due to various challenges, said Mr. Nguyen Hoang Long, director of the Vietnam Administration of HIV/AIDS Control (VAAC), in an interview with the local newspaper Hai Quan (Customs). Mr. Long noted that Vietnam had achieved the 80-70-95 target as of 2018, which meant 80% of people living with HIV knowing their conditions, 70% of them receiving antiretroviral (ARV) treatment, and 95% of those taking ARV therapy have viral suppression. Meanwhile, the United Nations’ target is 90-90-90 for the three criteria, he said, adding that Vietnam has only one year left to fulfill the targets on 90% of HIV carriers knowing their conditions and 90% of them receiving ARV treatment. The VAAC official listed other difficulties such as the combination in behaviors of drug addicts and those of prostituted women and same sex, limited coverage of HIV/AIDS services, and decreasing foreign aids for the work. Every year, Vietnam records 10,000 new HIV cases and 2,000-3,000 deaths due to the pandemic. The country now has 215,661 alive HIV carriers while 103,616 others have been reported dead due to the disease. (HaiQuan)