50,000 people infected with HIV in the community do not know their infection status

The program is jointly organized by the Ministry of Health and the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee.Speaking at the rally, Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien said that 2018 was the 10th consecutive year that the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Vietnam was controlled, reducing all three criteria: the number of new infections, the number of people developing AIDS, and the number of people dying from AIDS.

Currently, there are more than 131,000 patients being treated with ARV drugs, more than 54,000 people being treated with Methadone; each year, about 2 million people are tested for HIV... However, the HIV epidemic situation in our country is still complicated, each year there are still about 8,000 new cases of HIV infection discovered, 3,000 - 4,000 people die from HIV/AIDS and this is also one of the leading causes of illness and death in Vietnam. In particular, there are still at least about 50,000 people living with HIV in the community who do not know their HIV status.

This year's National Action Month for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control has the theme "Let's take action towards the 90-90-90 target by 2020", which means 90% of people living with HIV know their HIV status; 90% of people diagnosed with HIV are treated with antiretroviral drugs and 90% of people living with HIV who have been treated with antiretroviral drugs have low levels of virus.

Specific activities will be organized such as communication on the Law on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control, on related legal policies and regulations; organizing early HIV testing consultation, and mobilizing people with high-risk behaviors to get regular HIV testing.

At the ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Anh Phong, representative of the Vietnam Network of People Living with HIV - coordinator of the Southern office in Ho Chi Minh City said: "The message "No one is left behind" has always been the foundation for HIV and health organizations to help people living with HIV be confident, stable and healthy to participate in the treatment process. People who have not had an HIV test result or have never been tested for HIV should get tested because there will be a safe and friendly medical environment".

Immediately after the rally, delegates visited the exhibition of HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities; visited and presented gifts to HIV/AIDS patients being treated at Pham Ngoc Thach Hospital and booths introducing HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities of various units.