HIV patients come for examination and treatment at the Centre for Disease Control in the Central Highlands province of Đắk Lắk. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyên Dung

HÀ NỘI — Integrating HIV/AIDS prevention and control services into the grassroots health network helps Việt Nam move closer to the goal of ending AIDS by 2030.

People living with HIV has received treatment at local health stations and district-level clinics instead of travelling long distances to specialised centres as before.

The shift not only reduces costs and inconvenience for patients but also helps normalise HIV/AIDS services as a routine component of healthcare.

The Department of Disease Control under the Ministry of Health assessed that this is a major breakthrough of the Việt Nam’s National Strategy to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030.

The strategy is believed to mark a significant shift in the country’s approach to HIV/AIDS from emergency response to sustainable development, centred on people and guided by the principle that “no one is left behind”.

The department also said the most notable feature of the strategy is a fundamental change in mindset.

HIV/AIDS prevention and control is no longer treated as a separate activity but as an integral part of the universal healthcare system.

Rather than focusing on short-term crisis management, the new phase of the strategy emphasises sustainability, expanding service coverage, improving quality, reducing stigma and ensuring equal access to prevention, treatment and care for all.

Việt Nam currently has 519 ARV treatment facilities, 382 Methadone Maintenance Treatment sites and more than 1,300 counselling and HIV screening locations across 34 provinces and cities.

Services such as ARV treatment through health insurance, HIV self-testing via the website tuxetnghiem.vn, flexible pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) models and at-home MMT are being expanded, delivering clear benefits within communities.

Challenges ahead

Despite progress, the journey towards ending AIDS remains fraught with difficulties.

International funding has dropped sharply, creating gaps for services previously reliant on external support, such as PrEP and activities run by community-based organisations.

Domestic resources are still limited, with the bulk coming from health insurance for ARV treatment and a portion of the State budget.

Administrative restructuring, agency mergers and changes in local governance models have also slowed implementation at the grassroots level.

A particularly concerning trend is the rapid rise in new infections among young people aged 15-29, especially students and industrial workers.

Increasing rates of male-to-male sexual activity and synthetic drug use have further complicated the epidemiological landscape.

Additionally, shortages of specialised healthcare staff and persistent stigma against people living with HIV continue to hinder efforts to expand service access in some localities.

Addressing the gaps

To realise the 2030 target, the sector is accelerating the use of health insurance to cover treatment, confirmatory testing and viral load monitoring, while promoting the socialisation of services not yet covered such as PrEP, self-testing kits, condoms and clean needles.

The ministry is developing a National Target Programme on Health and Population for 2026–35, which includes a dedicated sub-project on HIV/AIDS with essential activities such as screening and confirmatory testing, community outreach support and ARV provision for those without health insurance.

At the same time, the "National Plan to end AIDS by 2030 and prevent any resurgence thereafter" is being finalised for submission to the Prime Minister, creating long-term legal and financial frameworks for ministries and local governments to proactively allocate resources.

“We have come a long way in the fight against HIV/AIDS, but the final stretch - ending the epidemic by 2030 - demands greater persistence, innovation and sustained coordination,” the department said in a statement.

By embedding HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment into the core of the primary healthcare system, Việt Nam is laying a solid foundation to ensure that all citizens, wherever they live, can access care that is safe, equitable and compassionate.

This is not only a public health goal but a commitment to the right of every individual to live healthily and without discrimination.— VNS