Research showed that although most young Vietnamese are aware of HIV/AIDS, a large number of ethnic youths have a vague picture of the disease.

To combat the disease, many delegates stressed the need not only to prevent and control the disease, but also to oppose discrimination against HIV carriers.

In fact, people living with HIV in many localities have received assistance from their local authorities, they said, adding that the viewpoint HIV/AIDS is a social evil has changed. HIV/AIDS is now considered as a disease and the patients have the right to live, work and receive treatment like people contracting other diseases, they noted.

The participants also highlighted dissemination work which focuses on how the disease is spread and the way to consider AIDS as a disease, and praised those who are doing an outstanding job in this effort.

They applauded multi-sectoral cooperation, the Vietnamese Party and State’s policies and the assistance of non-governmental and foreign organizations to diversify dissemination work, change people’s behaviour on the pandemic and increase each individual’s responsibility to HIV/AIDS prevention and control.

By June 30, 2009, Vietnam had more than 149,000 HIV carriers and 32,400 AIDS patients. Drug users and prostitutes were among high-risk groups, according to a report from the Health Ministry’s Anti-HIV Department.

The HIV pandemic has neither been got under control nor increased as fast as previous years but the spread of the disease will increase unless effective measures are taken, said the department.