The message was echoed by Nguyen Luong Trao, Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs at a workshop in Hanoi on October 23 to discuss ways to care for and support HIV/AIDS carriers.

To better carry out the task, Mr Trao said medical workers at the grassroots level should frequently provide every household with information about the danger of the lethal virus as well as instructions on how to treat and behave people living with HIV/AIDS.

According to Nguyen Van Kinh, an official from the HIV/AIDS Prevention Agency, the number of HIV/AIDS infections has increased considerably in recent years due to rampant drug addiction and prostitution among young people and people’s unawareness about the pandemic. Statistics from the Ministry of Health showed that Vietnam now has 112,880 HIV/AIDS carriers, of whom 19,261 people have developed full blown AIDS and 11,247 have died of AIDS.

To make the fight more effective, Mr Kinh called on sectors and localities to enhance education and communication activities to raise public awareness about the fight against HIV/AIDS, drug addiction, prostitution and other social evils.

Jesper Morch, UNICEF Representative in Vietnam said in addition to communication activities, Vietnam should strengthen the healthcare system and improve the supply of low-cost antiretroviral (ARV) drugs. In addition, he said doctors should strictly observe procedures in blood transfusion and production of blood bi-products.

Many experts suggested measures to assist HIV/AIDS carriers, including increasing budget for the fight against HIV/AIDS, issuing insurance policy for those who have direct contact with HIV/AIDS patients, as well as methods to care for children and people living together with HIV/AIDS patients.