Location: Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi
Situation:
In November 2006, Vietnam became the 150th member of the World Trade Organization. With 9.5% growth in 2006, the Vietnamese economy may be thriving but 1.4 million households live below the poverty line. Vietnam s economic development is deepening inequalities: the poverty rate is 18.3% in urban areas and 44.9% in rural areas. Drug use and prostitution, which are both criminalised by the government, promote the spread of HIV which, according to UNICEF, could affect around 300,000 people.
Although HIV appeared relatively late in Vietnam at the beginning of the 1990s, and remains confined within the marginalised populations and people labeled as social outcasts, such as people who inject drugs or sex workers, the risk of general widespread propagation remains high. It is estimated that close to 310,000 people live with HIV, and that 10,000 die each year, statistics which mean that this epidemic is a public health priority.
Activities:
The HIV programme developed by Doctors of the World (DOW) is in partnership with the health services of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. It consists firstly of prevention and harm reduction. Teams of peer educators enlighten and raise awareness, distributing condoms and syringes, and assuring the promotion of anonymous and free screening at places of risk (places where people inject, notable prostitution areas). DOW also assures medical care. If screening shows that a person is HIV-positive, the patient is offered regular medical checkups. They then have access to ARVs and treatment for opportunistic infections. Finally, the teams offer support to patients. Beyond its health effects, HIV profoundly alters peoples' lives. Therefore DOW and its partners provide a wider plan of care, including psychological support, tackling prejudice against people living with HIV and supporting families. Prevention activities reached 6,500 people, 3,600 were screened and medico-social health checks were provided to 2,071 patients (leading to 1,440 on ARV).
Outlook:
DOW will maintain this programme for at least four more years. It hinges on three long term objectives: ensuring its sustainability by transferring technical expertise to its partners, adapting the initial model to urban areas, and encouraging access to healthcare in closed areas (detox centres).
Project start date: December 2004
End date: On-going
