(VOVWORLD) - Vietnam is one of four countries with the best HIV/AIDS treatments in the world along with Germany, the UK, and Switzerland, according to a meeting hosted by the Health Ministry on Tuesday for World AIDS Day (December 1).
 Deputy PM Truong Hoa Binh speaks at the meeting to mark World AIDS Day in Hanoi on December 1, 2020. (Photo: VGP/Trung Hieu) |
Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long said Vietnam has been using effective prevention measures since the first HIV infection was detected in the country in 1990. Around 230,000 HIV patients are still alive, of them more than 150,000 receive anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment, he said.
“Vietnam has kept community HIV infection rates below 0.26%. Over the past 15 years, Vietnam’s HIV/AIDS program has prevented 500,000 people from being infected and more than 200,000 fromdeath caused by AIDS. We are on track to eliminate AIDS by 2030,” Mr. Long noted.
At the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh urged the expansion of counseling and treatment services.
"HIV/AIDS will not end without intervention. The sooner we act, the more effective and less costly it is. Investment in the battle against HIV/AIDS benefits people’s health and helps ensure order and security to boost socio-economic development,” said Mr. Binh.
In 2014, Vietnam became the first country in Asia to adopt the 90-90-90 targets set by the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, under which by 2020, 90% of those living with HIV would know their status; 90% of people who know their status are recieving treatment; and 90% of all patients with treatment have undetectable levels of HIV in their bodies.