From March 8, 2019, HIV/AIDS patients will switch to receiving ARV drugs from the Health Insurance fund.

Attending the event were Dr. Hoang Dinh Canh - Deputy Director of the Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control - Ministry of Health; Mr. Craig Hart - Deputy Director of USAID Vietnam. On the side of Nghe An province, there were Mr. Nguyen Xuan Hong - Deputy Director of the Department of Health and representatives of relevant departments and branches. Photo: Cong Kien

On March 8, at Dien Chau District General Hospital, the Department of Health in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control - Ministry of Health organized the event "The first patients to receive ARV drugs from the Health Insurance fund".

According to the report of the Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control - Ministry of Health, HIV/AIDS is a chronic disease that requires continuous, lifelong treatment at great cost. Up to now, treatment with ARV drugs has been provided free of charge through international funding.

Dr. Hoang Dinh Canh - Deputy Director of the Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control - Ministry of Health affirmed the important significance of health insurance expanding ARV drug payment for HIV/AIDS patients with health insurance cards. Photo: Cong Kien

However, international aid agencies will now shift their allocation of support resources to countries with limited resources and more serious HIV epidemics. Therefore, starting from March 8, 2019, health insurance will expand coverage for ARV drugs for patients with health insurance cards.

Accordingly, health insurance will pay for ARV drugs, treatment tests and specific services according to the scope and level of benefits of health insurance participants.

In the world today, very few countries use health insurance to pay for HIV treatment services. Among the 15 countries with high HIV infection rates supported by the PEPFAR program, Vietnam is the only country and a leader in using domestic resources through health insurance to support HIV treatment services. In addition, Vietnam is also a leader in achieving viral load suppression at over 93%.

Speaking at this event, comrade Nguyen Xuan Hong - Deputy Director of the Department of Health suggested: In order for the provision of ARV drugs to be effective and of high quality, HIV-infected patients need to fully participate in purchasing health insurance and comply with regulations on medical examination and treatment.

Comrade Nguyen Xuan Hong - Deputy Director of the Department of Health said that he will direct units to continue to improve the HIV/AIDS prevention network from the province to the local level. Photo: Cong Kien

For medical examination and treatment facilities, it is necessary to ensure that patients always have medicine to take. For social insurance agencies, it is necessary to have close coordination with treatment facilities, strictly implementing the instructions on payment and settlement regime in medical examination and treatment.

Representatives of the Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control - Ministry of Health; USAID Vietnam and Nghe An Department of Health and related departments and agencies checked medical examination and treatment records and provided ARV drugs at Dien Chau District General Hospital. Photo: Cong Kien