On the morning of November 30, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee held a rally to respond to the National Action Month for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control and World AIDS Day on December 1 with the theme Fairness and equality in access to HIV/AIDS prevention and control services - Towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030.
Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Nguyen Van Vinh Chau - Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health said that from the first HIV case in Vietnam discovered in Ho Chi Minh City in December 1990 to the end of September 2024, the city had 52,695 people infected with HIV under management, of which 48,741 people were receiving antiretroviral treatment for HIV.
Over the past 30 years, the city has made efforts to comprehensively and effectively implement social and medical technical solutions in HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities. The HIV/AIDS epidemic in the city has been gradually controlled. The number of new HIV infections, AIDS cases and HIV/AIDS-related deaths has continuously decreased each year.
Up to now, the city has achieved 93.5% of the first target 95; 92.8% of the second target 95; and 98% of the third target 95.
However, the HIV/AIDS epidemic situation is still complicated, with an increasing trend of infection, especially among young adolescents and MSM (men who have sex with men). HIV/AIDS is still a public health issue of concern.
At the same time, in the context of international funding cuts, maintaining achievements in HIV/AIDS prevention and control as well as completing the 95-95-95 target by 2025 towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 is a big challenge for Ho Chi Minh City.
Faced with these difficulties and challenges, the Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health said that the city always identifies HIV/AIDS prevention and control as one of its key tasks.
The city continues to take measures to sustainably maintain HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities and ensure investment in resources for HIV/AIDS prevention and control in accordance with the developments of the epidemic situation.
Representing the direct beneficiaries of the city's HIV/AIDS prevention and control programs, Mr. T.Q.M shared that, along with the difficulties in the treatment journey, hope for life, empathy and support are what help him move forward more firmly in life.
"With this year's theme, I believe we are sending a strong message that no one is left behind, including people living with HIV/AIDS," Mr. M shared.
On the same morning, a convoy of 21 districts and Thu Duc City paraded in areas across the city to create a strong spread in the community about HIV/AIDS prevention.
The National Strategy to End AIDS by 2030 sets out three 95-95-95 targets:
95% of people living with HIV in the community know their HIV status; 95% of people living with HIV who know their HIV status are receiving antiretroviral treatment; 95% of people receiving antiretroviral treatment have viral loads below the suppression threshold.
