The Law, approved by the National Assembly on June 29, 2006, includes a number of supplements to previous legal documents, including stipulations on the Government regulation on the implementation of measures to reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS.

Priority must be given to HIV/AIDS prevention and control in all socio-economic development programmes, according to Dr. Nguyen Huy Quang, deputy director of the Legal Department under the Public Health Ministry.

Under the Law, medical establishments are responsible for HIV/AIDS treatment and preventive measures against mother-to-child transmission, and the Health Security Fund is used to pay for the treatment of its HIV-positive members.

The law is aimed at ensuring the rights and interests of HIV-infected people in the workplace and eradicating discrimination against HIV/AIDS carriers, as well as implementing measures to prevent HIV/AIDS transmission among vulnerable groups.

The 9-chapter Law has 50 articles providing a legal basis for the effective implementation of HIV/AIDS prevention and control, information and education concerning HIV/AIDS prevention of transmission through drug injection or prostitution, and epidemiology supervision, safe blood transfusions, HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention of mother-to-child transmission.

VNA