The programme builds on the achievements of earlier DFID and World Bank projects and aims to support a scaling up of harm-reduction activities, targeting vulnerable and high-risk groups by distributing clean syringes, making condoms available, providing methadone treatment as well as diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.
It also supports the improved policy making, planning, co-ordination, capacity building and monitoring at the national and provincial levels;
The programme assists Vietnam in implementing the National Strategy on HIV/AIDS prevention and control till 2010 with a vision to 2020.
The US$30 million funding to the “HIV Prevention Programme” in Vietnam will be pooled with the ongoing US$33 million World Bank programme to form one joint programme of increased support to Government’s HIV prevention efforts. This joint programme will run until December 2012, have a stronger focus on harm reduction, and expand coverage to up to 40 provinces.
Ms Fiona Louise Lappin, Head of DFID Vietnam said: “Helping the Government to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS has been one of DFID’s priorities in Vietnam. The programme will support the Government’s targets to keep the HIV prevalence rate among intravenous drug users below 20% and among commercial sex workers below 3%. US$30 million invested in this programme will prevent an estimated 28,000 new infections and consequently create US$97 million net savings on direct treatment costs.”< script>< /script>
“We are filling the current funding gap but expect the Government to strengthen its capacity to embed effective delivery mechanisms and to mobilise additional resources to sustain HIV prevention activities by the time this programme ends “, she added.
DFID has provided US$31 million for the “Preventing HIV in Vietnam” programme from 2003, focusing on containing HIV transmission from high-risk groups – intravenous drug users and commercial sex workers – to the general population. The programme has contributed to some ground-breaking achievements: introduction and rapid increase in access to free needles and syringes (from zero in 2004 to 15 million in 2008); distribution of 230 million condoms, start-up of a long resisted methadone treatment programme; and a new law on HIV/AIDS that gives a clear legal basis for harm-reduction activities and de-stigmatisation of people living with HIV/AIDS. This programme is expected to finish in June 2009.