Norway and Britain early May in Hanoi entered into an agreement with Vietnamese government to provide a financial support of over US$25 million for Vietnam to fight against HIV/AIDS – the largest internationally funded project to tackle the disease so far.
The project will be funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) and the UK Department for International Development, and conducted by Vietnam’s Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation.
Priority tasks in the project are to reduce HIV infection among high-risk groups and build capacity of medical workers involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Over the next five years, the project will provide and market condoms, strengthen the management and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases and develop a pilot harm-reduction programme for drug users.
Twenty-one cities and provinces will benefit from the project, including Hanoi, Haiphong, Quang Ninh, Danang, Ho Chi Minh City and Ba Ria-Vung Tau.
As of April 30, Vietnam had recorded a total of 65,150 people with HIV, of whom 9,974 had developed AIDS and 5,535 had died, according to Health Minister Tran Thi Trung Chien.
She said the disease was quickly spreading to low-risk groups and new locations, adding that she hoped the project would help the country further promote the fight against the epidemic.
