Dr Dư Tuấn Quy, head of the infectious diseases – neurology department at Children’s Hospital 2 in HCM City, examines a child with HIV — VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — HCM City’s prevention programmes have reduced child HIV rates, but doctors warn that stigma, shrinking international support and unsafe teen sex are hindering treatment.

According to N.T.T of Cà Mau Province, every two or three months she makes the long journey with her daughter to Children’s Hospital 1 (HCM City) since local treatment might mean disclosure and discrimination.

For nine years the child’s condition has been kept hidden amid concerns over her future.

Nguyễn Thị Út of Đồng Tháp Province said after her daughter died of an HIV-related illness, information about her granddaughter’s HIV became known, causing classmates to shun her. A teacher later advised the family to withdraw the child from school due to concerns about the virus’s spread.

Dr Vũ Thiên Ân, a specialist in outpatient care and HIV treatment at Children’s Hospital 2 (HCM City), said while public awareness has improved, stigma against children with HIV remains common in remote areas without access to accurate information.

He said health insurance regulations require “HIV treatment” to be stated in medical records and prescriptions, leading to unintended disclosure and discrimination, which is causing many people in other provinces to seek treatment in HCM City despite the distance to avoid the stigma.

According to Phạm Thị Lụa, a social worker at Children’s Hospital 1, discrimination has forced some children to leave school or relocate, disrupting treatment and follow-up care.

Dr Dư Tuấn Quy, head of the infectious diseases – neurology department at Children’s Hospital 2, doo said stigma severely affects children’s education and mental health, with some experiencing extreme psychological distress after being isolated.

HIV is now treated as a chronic condition, he said, calling for greater social acceptance to allow affected children to live normally.

While prevention efforts have sharply reduced HIV infection among newborns, recent cases of mother-to-child transmission indicate remaining gaps that need urgent attention, he said.

The gradual reduction of international funding for HIV/AIDS prevention programmes is adding pressure to paediatric HIV care, as children living with the infection still need material and emotional support even if treatment costs are mostly covered by health insurance, he said.

He also warned of a rise in HIV infections among adolescents due to unsafe sex, especially between same-sex partners, with poor adherence to treatment increasing the risk of complications and community transmission.

Ân emphasised the need for stronger inter-sectoral coordination, age-appropriate sex education, stable access to antiretroviral drugs for children living with HIV, and legal measures to prevent discrimination and protect the privacy of children living with HIV. — VNS