HIV/AIDS prevention in Ninh Binh, from specific policies to changes in epidemic control

SKĐS-Not only focusing on activities during the annual National Action Month for HIV/AIDS prevention and control, HIV/AIDS prevention and control work in Ninh Binh has been deployed regularly, comprehensively and effectively...

Pay attention to HIV/AIDS prevention with specific policies

Having worked for 15 years as a community outreach worker, specializing in counseling and contacting people at high risk such as prostitution, HIV/AIDS, etc. in the area, Ms. Vu Thi Xuan (Hamlet 2, An Hoa Commune, Kim Son) said that although very few people want to do the job and are afraid of it, she has never had any intention of stopping.

Following Ms. Xuan and the community outreach workers of Kim Son district to the familiar working place, the An Hoa commune people's cemetery, the environment with used syringes scattered in tree holes, behind graves... is quite dangerous if you accidentally step on them. With a stick and a specialized bag, Ms. Xuan and her colleagues carefully look for and collect used syringes and then distribute free syringes and condoms from the HIV/AIDS prevention program.

Such high-risk work has been carried out by the community outreach team for many years, contributing to reducing HIV/AIDS infection in the community. Ms. Xuan shared: I have been doing this job since the support level was 180,000 VND/month and continued to receive support according to the Health - Population Target Program for the period 2016-2020. However, the old policy expired and I am very happy that Resolution No. 09/2023/NQ-HDND dated December 8, 2023 of the Provincial People's Council was issued in time. Although the support level is not much, it shows the province's concern for the work of us community outreach workers...

Launching propaganda campaign against HIV/AIDS on the occasion of Action Month 2024 in Ninh Binh .

According to Dr. Ngo Thi Hong, Head of the Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control, Ninh Binh Provincial Disease Control Center: Previously, the content of expenditure and expenditure norms for HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities were implemented according to Circular No. 26/2018/TT-BTC of the Ministry of Finance . After Circular 22 expired, the Ninh Binh Provincial People's Council issued Resolution 09. We appreciate this as a very timely and prompt attention of the province to support the HIV/AIDS prevention and control program to continue to synchronously and comprehensively implement activities. The new point of Resolution 09 is that it has stipulated a new content compared to Circular 26, which is the content of spending on purchasing HIV treatment drugs for drug addicts, HIV/AIDS patients in detention centers... With specific policies like this, it will help HIV/AIDS infected people continue to receive attention and access more effective prevention services, towards the goal of ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 in Ninh Binh province.

Staff from the Ninh Binh Provincial Center for Disease Control check the collection of used syringes by community outreach workers in the province.

Resolution No. 09/2023/NQ-HDND dated December 8, 2023 on promulgating Regulations on a number of specific expenditure contents and expenditure levels for preventive medicine and population work in Ninh Binh province. consists of 3 chapters, 17 articles with specific regulations on expenditure content and expenditure levels for preventive medicine and population work such as: Expenses to support people giving test samples; expenses for organizing screening examinations, screening detection, screening management, campaigns, mobile examinations in the community to serve preventive medicine and population work, integrating medical examination and treatment with overcoming the consequences of natural disasters and strengthening national defense and security; expenses for consulting and guiding in the community; expenses for malaria and dengue fever prevention activities, expenses for mental health protection activities...

The highlight and new point of Resolution 09 is that the specific expenditure levels for preventive medicine - population work are built on the expenditure norms of Circular No. 26/2018/TT-BTC of the Ministry of Finance, and at the same time, some expenditure levels are adjusted to suit the current situation. Evaluating Resolution 09, Dr. Le Hoang Nam, Director of the Center for Disease Control of Ninh Binh province, said: The Resolution of the Provincial People's Council on promulgating regulations on some expenditure contents and specific expenditure levels for preventive medicine - population work in Ninh Binh province is necessary and in accordance with current regulations. With specific regulations on expenditure contents and expenditure levels, it has created an important legal basis for the health sector to continue to carry out preventive medicine - population activities as well as support for subjects participating in the maintenance activities of the Target Program on Health - Population to stabilize the network of grassroots health work. From there, maintain the achieved results of the Health - Population Target Program, including HIV/AIDS prevention work in the province in the next phase.

Conducting HIV testing for pregnant women at Thach Binh Health Station (Phu Son commune).

Positive changes in HIV/AIDS prevention work

Working as an employee of a company in Hoa Lu ward, every morning, Mr. Dang Van L is present at the treatment facility of the Ninh Binh Province Center for Disease Control to take Methadone to treat addiction. Mr. L shared: I have participated in HIV treatment and then Methadone treatment for many years, so my health is always stable, participating in labor and production normally like everyone else. Thanks to the support of the HIV/AIDS prevention program, I was treated for HIV and now continue to treat addiction with Methadone. I have not hesitated to propagate and mobilize people around me to have a healthy lifestyle, not to indulge in social evils like me, to have knowledge and understanding to not be addicted to drugs, contributing to reducing HIV/AIDS infection in the community...

Mr. Dang Van L is one of many HIV-infected cases treated by the HIV prevention harm reduction intervention program implemented in the former districts and cities, now 129 communes and wards in the province. The program has distributed 87,028 condoms, 162,845 syringes; 294 safety boxes; 8,605 lubricant packs; and 79,725 used syringes for destruction. In addition, the activity of replacing opioid addiction with Methadone has been focused on. Methadone addiction treatment facilities have partly met the wishes of drug addicts, their families and the community, helping to reduce the rate of transmission of blood-borne diseases, reduce heroin reuse, reduce crimes caused by addicts, patients living outside the community still participate in labor to increase income for the family, stabilize relationships with family and society...

Examination and counseling for people infected with HIV/AIDS at the General Clinic, Ninh Binh Provincial Center for Disease Control.

Comrade Phan Khac Luu, Deputy Director of the Provincial Center for Disease Control, said: In recent years, Ninh Binh has comprehensively and effectively implemented social and medical technical solutions in HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities. HIV infection prevention measures have been widely deployed such as: communication to change behavior, reduce stigma and discrimination against HIV/AIDS; expanding and diversifying HIV detection tests at medical facilities and in the community; post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV; HIV antiretroviral treatment (ARV); implementing HIV/AIDS examination and treatment through health insurance..., thereby contributing to gradually controlling the HIV/AIDS epidemic situation in the province.

Along with professional activities deployed for treatment, testing, and epidemic monitoring, communication forms are also diversified with appropriate content and messages to raise awareness in the community, especially among people infected with HIV/AIDS, people with high-risk behaviors for HIV infection, and drug addicts about the harmful effects of drugs and the benefits of methadone substitution treatment for opioid addiction; the benefits and effectiveness of early ARV treatment so that they actively participate in treatment; reduce stigma and discrimination against people infected with HIV and drug addicts so that they can integrate into the community, thereby improving the effectiveness of HIV/AIDS prevention and control programs.

Every year, on the occasion of the "National Action Month for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control", closely following the theme of each year, Ninh Binh province will focus on promoting the provision of comprehensive services on HIV/AIDS prevention and control such as: HIV infection prevention, HIV testing, early HIV/AIDS treatment and ensuring participation in health insurance for HIV-infected people towards increasing access to HIV/AIDS prevention and control services for the people. At the same time, pay attention to doing a good job of propaganda to reduce stigma and discrimination against HIV-infected people, people affected by HIV/AIDS and people with high-risk behaviors for HIV infection; increase family and social support for HIV-infected people, create conditions for HIV-infected people and their family members to participate in social activities, especially HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities.

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