Coordinated response to HIV/AIDS

The Provincial Center for Disease Control (CDC), in collaboration with IRD VN Social Enterprise Co., Ltd. and YouMe Communication and Community Development Co., Ltd., organized a meeting to update the HIV/AIDS situation and discuss a coordinated response plan in the new context of the epidemic in An Giang.

Over the years, An Giang province has achieved many results in HIV/AIDS prevention and control. The relevant authorities have implemented many practical programs, contributing to raising community awareness and expanding access to HIV prevention, testing, and treatment services. However, the HIV/AIDS epidemic still poses a potential risk, requiring continuous efforts and flexible responses tailored to the actual situation. Currently, the number of HIV infections has tended to increase again since 2019, primarily through unsafe sexual contact. The highest infection rate is among MSM – a group with many high-risk behaviors for HIV transmission and limited access to intervention programs. High-risk areas include Long Xuyen City, Cho Moi, Chau Phu, and Phu Tan districts. According to statistics from the Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control as of the end of December 2024, An Giang is currently one of the hotspots, raising alarm about the number of new infections, with over 18,500 people.

In reality, HIV prevention activities in An Giang, in addition to the active participation of medical staff, also owe a great deal to the contributions of young people from community groups. YouMe Communication and Community Development Company Limited (YouMe) specializes in developing effective communication strategies to raise community awareness about health issues, including HIV/AIDS.

YouMe Company Director Truong Hoang Bao Ngoc stated: "We have implemented the program in many localities, especially in rural and mountainous areas. Therefore, the company has experience in organizing community events and professional meetings, creating effective spaces for interaction and exchange among stakeholders such as health agencies, social organizations, communities, and experts to unify coordinated measures to respond to the HIV/AIDS epidemic; we can connect organizations, state agencies, health experts, and non-governmental organizations in the region to build a multi-sectoral coordination plan. This is crucial to enhance the effectiveness of HIV/AIDS prevention and control, especially in the context of the rapidly changing epidemic and the need for coordination among health, education , community, and social organizations."

IRD VN Social Enterprise Co., Ltd. is successfully implementing numerous technical support and healthcare projects in the field of tuberculosis, effectively contributing to the prevention, containment, and eventual eradication of infectious diseases. With its mission in community healthcare, IRD VN is striving to secure funding from the US CDC to implement the project “Strengthening Collaboration, Connectivity, and Capacity Building in HIV Programs for Sustainable Disease Control – ECLIPSE”. The ECLIPSE project activities will be implemented in 10 provinces and cities (Hanoi, Hai Phong, Thai Nguyen, An Giang, Kien Giang, Can Tho, Long An, Binh Duong, Ba Ria - Vung Tau and Ho Chi Minh City) to help bridge the current gap in private sector participation, strengthen linkages within Vietnam's hospital system, and apply digital tools to processes to improve patient monitoring, enhance management capacity, and utilize data. The ECLIPSE project's objectives are fully aligned with the national strategy to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030.

At the update session, many young people, organizations, and individuals boldly shared their difficulties in treatment; advice for those living with HIV; professional guidance from healthcare facilities; and analysis of the trend of younger HIV infections among adolescents. The meeting aimed to develop mechanisms and closely coordinate with local agencies and departments in supporting community HIV/AIDS prevention and control, such as the Department of Health, CDC, Department of Education and Training, and district-level health centers (regardless of specific projects); support the development of health communication programs for the local community; proactively connect with private businesses and local resources to participate in social work; and develop organizations and build a civilized and healthy community image. The hope is to minimize the number of HIV/AIDS infections in the community.

KN

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/phoi-hop-ung-pho-hiv-aids-a418841.html