CDC AND GVN LAUNCH NATIONAL PROGRAM TO COMBAT HIV/AIDS

UNCLAS HANOI 000553

SIPDIS

DEPT ALSO FOR EAP/BCLTV, EAP/PD AND FOR AID/ANE/AFERRARA AND
DHEISLER PASS BBG/VOA FOR EAST ASIA PACIFIC DIVISION
USDOL FOR ILAB/CATHRYN HELM

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KHIV TBIO EAID VM HIV AIDS
SUBJECT: CDC AND GVN LAUNCH NATIONAL PROGRAM TO COMBAT HIV/AIDS



1. THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH (MOH)/NATIONAL AIDS STANDING BUREAU,
IN COLLABORATION WITH AND SUPPORT FROM THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE
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CONTROL AND PREVENTION (CDC)/EMBASSY HANOI, HAS LAUNCHED
ITS NATIONAL PROGRAM TO COMBAT THE HIV/AIDS EPIDEMIC WITH A TWO-
DAY WORKING MEETING OF KEY PROVINCIAL LEADERS FROM 40 PROVINCES
ACROSS VIETNAM. ONE MEETING TOOK PLACE IN HANOI, MARCH 6TH AND
7TH, FOR LEADERS FROM THE NORTHERN PROVINCES, AND A SECOND WILL
OCCUR IN HO CHI MINH CITY, MARCH 13TH AND 14TH, FOR LEADERS FROM
THE SOUTHERN PROVINCES.


2. THE MEETINGS ARE DESIGNED TO ORIENT PROVINCIAL LEADERS ON THE
MOH AND CDC COLLABORATION, WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON DEVELOPING
HIV PREVENTION PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF HIGH-RISK
POPULATIONS, SUCH AS INJECTION DRUG USERS (IDU) AND COMMERCIAL
SEX WORKERS (CSW). DISCUSSIONS FOCUS ON INTEGRATED VOLUNTARY
HIV COUNSELING AND TESTING (VCT),PEER EDUCATION, AND EARLY HIV
INTERVENTION, CARE AND SUPPORT ACTIVITIES. AMONG MANY ISSUES
DISCUSSED IS THE IMPORTANCE OF PROMOTING HIV TESTING SO THAT HIV-
INFECTED PERSONS LEARN THEIR STATUS EARLY. PROVIDING ANONYMOUS
COUNSELING AND TESTING IS ONE MECHANISM FOR EARLY HIV DIAGNOSIS
AND TREATMENT. THE TWO-DAY MEETINGS ALSO PROVIDE
INFORMATION ABOUT PROJECT MANAGEMENT MECHANISMS AND
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.


3. IN OCTOBER 2001, THE USG, THROUGH EMBASSY HANOI, SIGNED A
COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH THE MOH ESTABLISHING A FIVE-YEAR, $10
MILLION PROGRAM TO STRENGTHEN AND EXPAND VIETNAM'S HIV PREVENTION
AND CARE PROGRAM. VIETNAM IS ONE OF 24 COUNTRIES SUPPORTED BY
THE USG'S GLOBAL COMMITMENT TO CURB THE FURTHER SPREAD OF HIV
DISEASE THROUGH FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT (GLOBAL AIDS
PROGRAM [GAP]). PROGRAM AREAS SUPPORTED UNDER GAP IN VIETNAM
INCLUDE THE DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION OF VCT AND PEER EDUCATION
PROGRAMS, EARLY HIV CLINICAL INTERVENTION PROGRAM, AND
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TRAINING OF HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN MEDICAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH-
RELATED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS.


4. OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, CDC WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH THE
VIETNAM GAP-LIFE REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE (MOH'S OPERATIONAL ARM FOR
THIS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT) IN CONDUCTING PROVINCIAL SITUATIONAL
AND NEEDS ASSESSMENTS, DEVELOPING INTEGRATED VCT SYSTEMS IN
THE 40 PROVINCES WITH THE HIGHEST HIV PREVALENCE, EXPANDING AND
STRENGTHENING HIV/STD/TB SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS, AND PROVIDING
TRAINING TO STRENGTHEN THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS OF HEALTH
PROFESSIONALS FOR BETTER CARE AND SUPPORT OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH
HIV OR THOSE WHO ARE AT HIGH RISK FOR CONTACTING THE DISEASE.


5. COMMENT: HIV/AIDS IN VIETNAM HAS RAPIDLY INCREASED OVER THE
LAST 10 YEARS. ALTHOUGH CURRENTLY HIV IN VIETNAM IS STILL
LARGELY IN HIGH-RISK GROUPS INCLUDING IDU AND CSW AND REMAINS LOW
IN THE GENERAL POPULATION, THE EXPLOSIVE EPIDEMICS IN THAILAND
AND CAMBODIA PRESENT A THREAT TO THE LOW NUMBER OF INFECTIONS IN
VIETNAM. CDC'S GLOBAL AIDS PROGRAM IS ONE THE LARGEST OF SEVERAL
USG PROGRAMS WORKING COOPERATIVELY IN VIETNAM TO HELP PREVENT THE
EPIDEMIC IN VIETNAM FROM BECOMING LIKE THAT OF THAILAND OR
CAMBODIA. THE U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (USAID)
AND THE US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR ARE ALSO SUPPORTING HIV PREVENTION
PROGRAMS IN VIETNAM, WORKING WITH INTERNATIONAL AND LOCAL NGO'S
AND VIETNAM'S MINISTRIES OF HEALTH AND LABOR IN DEVELOPING HIV
INTERVENTIONS TARGETING HIGH-RISK POPULATIONS AND PROGRAMS AIMED
AT REDUCING STIGMA AND DISCRIMINATION IN THE WORKPLACE.

BURGHARDT

UNCLASSIFIED

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UNCLASSIFIED