Official information about the Black Rose group taking HIV test samples for students in Hai Phong

On August 22, the Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control ( Ministry of Health ) said that in recent days, some press agencies have published information related to a community-based organization called Black Rose - Black Rainbow implementing HIV testing for students in Do Son District, Hai Phong City. After working and receiving reports from relevant units, the Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control officially informed about the incident.

Accordingly, based on receiving reports from localities as requested in the official dispatch of the Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control issued on August 20, 2023, the Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control, Ministry of Health informs as follows:

The Black Rose – Black Rainbow Group is a self-help group commonly known as a community-based organization, formed on the voluntary basis of its members and participating in HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities since August 2011.

The group is currently implementing the project "Protecting the Future - Strengthening new community-based interventions to control HIV infection among young drug users in Vietnam" in Hai Son ward, Do Son district, Hai Phong city under cooperation agreement No. 53-12/2022/HDTN-SCDI dated December 30, 2022 of the Center for Supporting Community Development Initiatives (SCDI) - Project Owner and the Black Rose - Black Rainbow group.

The project “Protecting the Future - Strengthening new community-based interventions to control HIV infection among young drug users in Vietnam” is implemented by SCDI with funding from Expertise France of France. The project was approved by the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA) in Decision No. 1379/QD-LHHVN dated December 16, 2020 and implemented in 7 provinces and cities, including Hai Phong.

In addition, the Black Rose - Black Rainbow group also implements a number of HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities under the VUSTA HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Project funded by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria for the period 2021-2023.

Activities of the Black Rose - Black Rainbow group related to the Project "Protecting the Future - Strengthening new community-based interventions to control HIV infection among young drug users in Vietnam" include:

Approach and intervene with clients who are drug users between the ages of 16 and 24 participating in the study, with the following activities: Screening the behavior of clients who register to participate in the study. Counseling and testing for HIV for clients. Conducting short interview questionnaires such as: Basic information on risk behaviors and assessing knowledge about drugs and mental health.

Referring project clients to receive support according to each intervention package suitable to their needs including: Examination and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), methadone treatment, periodic HIV testing, testing and treatment of hepatitis C, tuberculosis, mental health...

Communication to raise awareness, provide information on drug harm reduction, STIs, HIV, and drug prevention skills to customers.

The Black Rose - Black Rainbow group has 5 members, one of whom has attended a training course on HIV testing counseling in the community.

HIV testing in the community does not pose a risk of HIV transmission

Regarding information on implementing HIV testing in the community related to the Project "Protecting the Future - Strengthening new community-based interventions to control HIV infection among young drug users in Vietnam", according to the initial report of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Hai Phong and SCDI Organization, from January 1, 2023 to August 18, 2023, the number of clients who were counseled for HIV screening was 204 people and all had negative test results.

Information on the age of the person being tested for HIV: May not be accurate because the person being tested self-reports their age and does not present identification documents before taking the test.

Information on HIV screening testing techniques performed by the Black Rose group: Using rapid testing reagents to take blood from the fingertip.

This is a simple technique, using a disposable finger prick needle (disposable design, once used the needle retracts and cannot be reused) to lightly prick the fingertip, then squeeze out a drop of blood to do a test similar to a blood sugar monitoring test.

In addition, the group also uses oral fluid self-testing: This is a technique that uses oral fluid to perform HIV screening tests.

The two testing techniques above have been recommended by the World Health Organization for community testing, including non-professional testing and self-testing.

The Ministry of Health has issued guidelines for community testing and guidelines for HIV testing techniques, allowing the use of these two techniques for community screening. Because they are simple to perform and ensure that infectious diseases are not transmitted from the person being tested to the person being tested.

Information on payment for test takers: According to information from the SCDI Organization, in the activity plan agreed by the sponsor, there is support for payment for participants receiving testing consultation services of 100,000 VND. This is the travel support and payment of 25,000 VND when introducing another person to participate. Therefore, the group's payment for test takers is in accordance with the Project outline approved by the competent authority.

In Vietnam, according to local reports from 2019 onwards, community groups have contributed to HIV testing to detect about 30-50% of new cases detected annually, while in key HIV provinces, the contribution is higher, up to 50-70%. Thus, community organizations play a very important role in finding new HIV infections.

In addition, community organizations also directly provide other prevention and harm reduction intervention services (distribution and instruction on the use of clean needles, condoms, lubricants) and refer clients to health facilities to receive HIV prevention treatment services (PrEP) or ARV treatment if the client is HIV-infected.

With that role, it can be affirmed that community groups have made important contributions to controlling the HIV epidemic in Vietnam.

Based on mass media information and reports from relevant agencies, the Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control finds that the implementation of the Black Rose group to provide a number of HIV/AIDS prevention and control services in the community is consistent with the policy stated in the National Strategy on ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030.

HIV testing in the community does not pose a risk of transmitting HIV from the person testing for HIV to the person being tested for HIV.

Suspend the operation of the organization that arbitrarily took HIV test samples from students.

The Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control agreed with the recommendation of the Hai Phong CDC to temporarily suspend the activities of the Black Rose group to collect information to verify the recent incident.

On the other hand, the Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control requested the Department of Health and CDC Hai Phong to thoroughly instruct community organizations participating in HIV/AIDS prevention and control in the area to strictly implement regulations and professional procedures, and test the right subjects with risky behaviors on a voluntary basis.

Along with that, Hai Phong CDC consults families, parents and children who have been tested at the Black Rose group to provide more information on HIV and issues that families are concerned about and worried about.

In addition, the Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control requested the SCDI Center to review the project's procedures to ensure that community organizations are properly controlled to comply with the Project's guidelines and professional regulations for community activities.

In addition, the Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control recommends that the SCDI Center coordinate with local health agencies to ensure that the project is implemented in accordance with current regulations. Strengthen communication and promotion of services so that people understand the necessity and significance of HIV/AIDS prevention and control services provided in the community.

Policies and legal regulations on implementing HIV testing in the community:

3.1. The Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control in 2020 stipulates:

- Clause 1, Article 29 amended: HIV screening tests are performed at medical facilities, in the community and by self-testing.

- Article 27 is amended: Voluntary HIV testing

1. HIV testing is performed on a voluntary basis by the person being tested.

2. People aged 15 years or older and with civil capacity may voluntarily request HIV testing.

3. HIV testing for people under 15 years old, people without civil act capacity, people with difficulty in cognition, behavior control and people with limited civil act capacity can only be performed with the written consent of the person's parents or guardian or representative .

- Point b, Clause 3, Article 20: HIV-infected people and people with high-risk behaviors participating in HIV/AIDS prevention and control

“3. People infected with HIV and people with high-risk behaviors are allowed to perform the following activities:

b) Provide HIV counseling and screening services, and HIV self-testing biological products for people with high-risk behaviors when meeting the conditions prescribed by the Government"

3.2. Decree 155/2018/ND-CP amending and supplementing a number of regulations on investment and business conditions under the management of the Ministry of Health

“ 2. HIV screening in the community:

a) The person performing the test has knowledge of HIV counseling and testing and performs the HIV test according to the manufacturer's instructions;

b) Have testing equipment and biological product storage suitable for the type of HIV testing biological product used .”

3.3. Decision No. 2673/QD-BYT 2018 Promulgating HIV testing in the community

Guidelines for the process of counseling, testing, referral and records for HIV testing in the community

3.4. Decision No. 2674/QD-BYT in 2018 Issuing National Guidelines for HIV Testing

Technical instructions for testing, ensuring test quality, and using HIV testing reagents.

3.5. Decision No. 1246/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister: Approving the National Strategy to End the AIDS Epidemic by 2030

Goal: The proportion of people living with HIV in the community who know their HIV status will reach 90% by 2025 and 95% by 2030.

Solution: Diversify HIV testing and counseling services. Promote HIV testing in health facilities, expand community HIV testing, mobile HIV testing, and HIV self-testing.

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