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| Nearly 2,500 people including local students attend a meeting in the central city of Đà Nẵng today to call for non-discrimination against those living with HIV/AIDS. — VNA/VNS Photo |
Viet Nam News
ĐÀ NẴNG — Nearly 2,500 people, including representatives from ministries, departments, international organizations, and local residents, attended a meeting in the central city of Đà Nẵng today to call for non-discrimination against those living with HIV/AIDS.
The event aims to respond to the national action month for HIV/AIDS prevention and control, and marks World AIDS Day (December 1).
Speaking at the event, Deputy Health Minister Nguyễn Thành Long highlighted the significant achievements Việt Nam has made in HIV/AIDS prevention and control over the past 26 years.
The year 2016 marked the ninth consecutive year Việt Nam has witnessed a reduction in the number of new HIV infections, cases of HIV developing into full-blown AIDS, and AIDS-related fatalities, Long said.
Việt Nam has carried out comprehensive and effective measures to combat HIV/AIDS while focusing on caring for, supporting, and curing people living with HIV/AIDS, he reiterated.
Việt Nam has actively responded to the 90-90-90 goals set by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UN AIDS), that ensures at least 90 per cent of all people with HIV will know their status, and that 90 per cent of people diagnosed with HIV will receive sustained antiretroviral (ARV) therapy, and 90 percent of all people receiving ARV therapy will be diagnosed with viral suppression.
The Deputy Minister called for a drastic and joint effort to combat HIV/AIDS, with focus on early HIV/AIDS screening and testing.
Localities should also push forward with efforts to realise the Three-Zero target of no new HIV infections, no death from AIDS, and no discrimination against HIV/AIDS carriers.
Ali Safarnejad from UN AIDS said this year marked the second year in a row Việt Nam observed World AIDS Day with a determination to realise the UN’s goals of 90-90-90 and looks forward to ending the epidemic by 2030.
He also underlined remarkable achievements Việt Nam has made in HIV/AIDS prevention and control work, saying that around 80 per cent of HIV-infected cases in Việt Nam had been tested, diagnosed, and are aware of their situation, and over half of them are receiving ARV therapy, staying below viral suppression.
In Việt Nam, about 10,000 HIV cases were detected in 2015, down from 18,000 in 2010. HIV-linked deaths also declined from 3,200 to 2,000 over the past five years. — VNS
