USAID supports Vietnam to forge community links in HIV prevention

The project will be carried out in the southern economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City worth US$2.1 million in official development assistance (ODA), which aims to enhance community-based services to support a sustainable national HIV/AIDS response.

Health workers give advice to HIV patient

Its specific targets include providing HIV/AIDS prevention services for homosexual men and women and people living with HIV in the city, as well as increase human resources and capacity for community-based groups and organisations (CBOs).

Within five years, the project will access to about 48,299 homosexual men in the city through CBOs, nearly 90 percent of whom will be sent to HIV testing facilities.

The project strives to have 90% of people living with HIV know their status, while 90 percent of people who are diagnosed with HIV will receive antiretroviral drugs  (ARV), and 90% of people on ARV treatment will have the virus controlled at a low and stable level.

It will also support about 3,633 people living with HIV along with 38,337 prostitutes and drug users in the city.