Young people in the northern province of Sơn La read about HIV/AIDS information during the launching ceremony of the National Action Month against HIV/AIDS. — VNA/VNS Photo Đinh Hằng |
HCM CITY — The National Action Month against HIV/AIDS 2018 was launched at a ceremony in HCM City on December 1 with the participation of Minister of Health Nguyễn Thị Kim Tiến and nearly 2,000 representatives of students, armed forces and mass organisations.
Calling for actions from all the people against HIV/AIDS, the minister said that Việt Nam has reaped impressive achievements in the work over the past years, yet the country is still facing many serious challenges like the increasing number of new cases in the high-risk group, inadequate attention to the prevention work, the difficulties in the shift of the treatment to the health insurance, and the lingering discrimination against HIV carriers.
The minister called on leaders of localities, social organisations, the health sector and all the people to act more strongly so every people can access prevention services in an early and sustainable manner.
Speaking highly of Việt Nam’s efforts, Director of the UNAIDS Việt Nam Marie-Odile Emond noted that so far this year, the country has successfully realised many new ideas for the people to have more choices and easier approaches to prevention services.
It will be a historical turning point when Việt Nam starts to provide treatment services covered by the health insurance, she stressed.
Statistics by the health ministry reveal that currently Việt Nam counts about 208,000 HIV carriers, each year the country has over 8,000 new carriers detected and from 3,000-4,000 people die of AIDS.
At least 50,000 people having HIV are living in the community without knowing they are carrying the virus. — VNS
Signatures gathered to support efforts to eradicate discrimination against HIV/AIDS patients at the launching ceremony of the national action month against HIV/AIDS in HCM City on December 1. — VNA/VNS Photo Đinh Hằng |
Activists at the launching ceremony in HCM City. — VNA/VNS Photo Đinh Hằng |
Director of the UNAIDS Việt Nam Marie-Odile Emond spoke at the National Action Month against HIV/AIDS launching ceremony in HCM City. — VNA/VNS Photo Đinh Hằng |
Awareness campaigns at the December 1 ceremony held in HCM City to launch the national action month against HIV/AIDS. — VNA/VNS Photo Đinh Hằng |
Minister of Health Nguyễn Thị Kim Tiến delivered a speech at HCM City’s December 1 ceremony to launch the National Action Month against HIV/AIDS. — VNA/VNS Photo Đinh Hằng |
Vehicles carrying banners on December 1 in Long An Province, bearing messages of support the Việt Nam’s national action month against HIV/AIDS on December 1. — VNA/VNS Photo |