Japan helps control HIV/AIDS

November 02, 2018 - 19:00

The National Hospital of Tropical Diseases and the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) signed a record of discussions for a co-operation project to set up a bench-to-bedside system for sustainable anti-virus (ARV) and HIV prevention in Việt Nam.

Providign ARV gives medicines to an HIV patient. – Photo baomoi.com
Viet Nam News

Hà Nội The National Hospital of Tropical Diseases and the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) signed a record of discussions for a co-operation project to set up a bench-to-bedside system for sustainable anti-virus (ARV) and HIV prevention in Việt Nam.

The project will evaluate the effectiveness and sustainability of Việt Nam’s HIV treatment system and analyse pre-exposure preventive activity to reduce new cases.

The project targets preventing HIV in Việt Nam.

The project will set up connecting systems between central and local hospitals to monitor HIV treatment, discover new cases and provide early diagnosis of treatment failure and drug resistance mutations.

A system of pre-exposure (PrEP) preventive monitors will be established to contribute to the HIV/AIDS prevention programme.

The project plans to start in April next year and last until March 2024.

A doctor in Hà Nội observes an HIV/AIDS patient taking the prescribed drugs. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Ngọc

Việt Nam has an estimated 250,000 HIV-infected people and nearly 14,000 new infections each year, ranking fourth in the Asia-Pacific region.

Funds for treatment and some tests for HIV/AIDS patients in Việt Nam in central-level hospitals are being provided free of charge through international funding sources.  

However, as Việt Nam has become a middle-income country, international aid has been reduced.

HIV treatment will be covered by health insurance and will be provided at local-level health centres, but many local health centers do not have experience with HIV treatment.

Patients often have to pay for their own medical expenses, which may affect their adherence to treatment procedures and lead to viral outbreaks and drug resistance.

In terms of preventive work, the Ministry of Health has issued a plan of PrEP treatment by ARV medicines for 2018 to 2020.

The plan will be implemented in Hà Nội and some provinces throughout the country. VNS

 

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