Participants at the conference (Photo: VNA)HCM City (VNA) – An estimated 5,500
in the community have yet to be identified in Ho Chi
Minh City, with about 30 percent having s that are
potentially transmitting the virus to others, according to Deputy Director of the
municipal Department of Health .
Addressing a conference to review the HIV/AIDS prevention over the last 30
years in Ho Chi Minh City on January 14, Hung stressed that this is one of the
challenges in the fight against HIV/AIDS at present.
Since the first case of HIV infection found in in December 1990, the
municipal authorities have focused on curbing the epidemic’s development via
communications and education activities to raise public awareness of protecting
themselves, and building HIV prevention models.
As a result, the rate of HIV infection among drug users decreased
to 18.6 percent 1998 from 42.3 percent in 1995.
In the 2000-2010 period, HIV prevention models were applied across the city.
Meanwhile, the introduction of antiretroviral (ARV) therapy created favourable
conditions for the city to expand prevention and treatment programmes.
The city has so far had 145 facilities providing HIV consultation and testing
services and 24 providing methadone treatment, which have treated about 5,400
patients.
In addition, the community re-integration support programme and those to
prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission have
been effectively implemented, significantly contributing to reducing the
number of new infections in the community.
In the last decade, the municipal authorities have promoted the supply of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) service and ARV
drugs, creating breakthroughs in controlling HIV infection.
It has realised the 90-90-90 target set
by the UN, which means 90 percent of people living with HIV know their status,
90 percent of those diagnosed are provided with antiretroviral therapy, and 90 percent of those treated with antiretroviral
therapy achieve viral suppression.
However, Hung mentioned a fact that a strong increase in the number of men who
have sex with men (MSM) has been pushing up the risk of infection in the
community.
Towards ending AIDS by 2030, the city will pay attention to promoting
preventive and testing services, and investigations.
It set to fulfill the 95-95-95 target by 2025, and the 99-99-99 target to end
the epidemic by 2030, Hung said./.
Source: VietnamPlus
