The Prime Minister recently approved the National Strategy on Ending AIDS by 2030. The Strategy aims to promote HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities to reduce the number of new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths, to end AIDS in Vietnam by 2030, minimizing the impact of the epidemic on socio-economic development.

Specifically, to expand and reform communication activities, harm reduction and HIV prevention interventions, the rate of people with high-risk behaviors accessing HIV prevention services will reach 80% by 2030; expand and diversify forms of HIV testing counseling and testing, promoting community-based HIV testing and self-testing; the rate of HIV-infected people in the community knowing their status will reach 95% by 2030; closely monitor HIV/AIDS epidemic developments in high-risk behavior groups.

At the same time, to expand and improve the quality of HIV/AIDS treatment, the rate of HIV-infected people knowing their HIV status receiving antiretroviral treatment to reach 95%; the percentage of people receiving antiretroviral therapy with viral load below the inhibitory threshold to reach 95%; eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV by 2030.

In addition, to strengthen and enhance the capacity of the HIV/AIDS prevention and control system at all levels; ensure human resources for HIV/AIDS prevention and control; financial security for HIV/AIDS prevention and control.

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To accomplish the above objective, the Strategy offers 11 groups of solutions. In particular, to expand the coverage of HIV/AIDS treatment services by: Treatment with HIV antiretrovirals (ARVs) for people infected with HIV immediately after being confirmed; Extending HIV/AIDS treatment in prisons, detention centers, detention houses, compulsory education institutions, reformatory schools, medical treatment facilities, social workers, and religious organizations, social organizations and other legal entities; Mobilizing the participation of the private health sector in HIV/AIDS treatment. Integrate HIV/AIDS treatment services into the medical examination and treatment system; Decentralizing HIV/AIDS treatment at the grassroots level; expand HIV/AIDS care and treatment at commune level, and care for HIV/AIDS patients at home and in the community.

Besides, increase HIV counseling and testing for pregnant women; immediate treatment of ARV for pregnant women infected with HIV; early diagnosis, management and treatment of babies born to mothers infected with HIV; strengthen prevention, detection and treatment of HIV/AIDS co-infections including tuberculosis, hepatitis B or C and sexually transmitted diseases.

The strategy offers solutions to improve the quality of HIV/AIDS treatment by: timely updating HIV/AIDS treatment guidelines according to new recommendations suitable to Vietnamese conditions; optimizing HIV/AIDS treatment regimens and ensuring safe and effective treatment; providing HIV/AIDS treatment services tailored to the patient's condition; strengthening management, monitoring and supporting compliance with HIV/AIDS treatment; expanding activities to improve the quality of HIV/AIDS treatment and integrating them into the hospital quality management system; expanding the coverage of HIV AIDS treatment monitoring tests.

Extend HIV/AIDS treatment covered by the Health Insurance Fund according to the benefits of patients participating in health insurance; providing appropriate mechanism for 100% of people with HIV to participate in health insurance.

In particular, the Prime Minister assigned Vietnam Social Security to coordinate with the Ministry of Health in amending and supplementing the guidelines for payment of HIV/AIDS prevention and control services through the health insurance system according to current regulations; coordinate to review and amend a number of articles and clauses of the Law on Health Insurance to create favorable conditions for people with HIV to participate in health insurance./.