Vietnam has the first "HIV self-testing" service

On August 26, in Ho Chi Minh City, the Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control (Ministry of Health) in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) launched the HIV self-testing service in Vietnam.

Delegates participate in performing saliva testing with HIV self-test kits at the launching ceremony.

This is the first time this service has been available in Vietnam, marking a new trend so that people affected by HIV have more options to test themselves for HIV privately and confidentially.

Accordingly, the person testing themselves uses a test strip to smear oral fluid or blood on the fingertip and then inserts the test strip into the testing device; after 20 minutes, the screening result will be positive or negative. They are the first to know their initial test result. If positive, the patient needs to go to a medical facility to have a test to confirm whether they are infected with HIV or not and have advice from doctors.

This technique is used for HIV screening, is quite simple, easy to perform, and highly accurate. The pilot of this service has also given very positive results. Since the end of May 2016, more than 377 people have participated in HIV self-testing, of which 7% have tested positive for HIV and 100% of them have been treated. This service is expected to significantly increase the rate of HIV testing in the community of people at risk of infection, especially those who are hesitant to use testing services at medical facilities.

According to Dr. Nguyen Hoang Long, Director of the Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control (Ministry of Health), HIV self-testing is a new step forward in improving access to HIV testing services, normalizing it like rapid diagnostic tests (used for diabetes or pregnancy tests) widely sold in pharmacies. This can help Vietnam achieve the 90-90-90 target by reaching untested people and bringing those found to be HIV-infected into treatment.

US Ambassador Ted Osius said HIV testing has never been easier. Anyone at risk can take a test to know their HIV status confidentially, privately and safely, protecting the health of themselves and their loved ones.

It is known that this activity is one of the components of the Healthy Markets project supported by the US Government through USAID and PATH (a non-governmental organization operating in the health sector). Being piloted, this service is currently provided by peer groups and community-based self-help groups under the PATH project, providing free consultation to people in high-risk groups such as: homosexual men, drug addicts, female sex workers, etc. In the world, there are currently 16 countries that have included this service in their national HIV/AIDS prevention programs./.

According to Vietnamplus