Illustrative image (Source: VNA)
project has recently been launched to control HIV infection among young drug
users aged 16 to 24 in Vietnam by the Centre for Supporting Community Development
Initiatives (SCDI), according to the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office under
the Ministry of Health.
The project, which will runs
through 2019, was sponsored by Expertise France, a French agency for international
technical expertise.
It will be implemented in Hanoi,
Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Ninh Binh, Thai Binh, Quang Ninh and Khanh Hoa and
is expected to benefit about 8,000 young drug users.
The project is designed to help develop
intervention strategies and enhance capacities of community-based groups in implementing
intervention programmes, while improving effectiveness of communication
channels.
Within the framework of the
project, an initial survey was conducted in Hanoi, Hai Phong and Ho Chi Minh City
among 471 , said the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office.
The result showed drug users
often came from economically disadvantaged families or had negative childhood experiences.
It also revealed that about 13.7
percent of youth injected drug, while 60 – 75 percent had experienced sexual
intercourse, of which unsafe sex accounted for 50 percent. -VNA
Source: VietnamPlus
