VietNamNet Bridge - Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked the authorities of HCM City, Hai Phong and Nam Dinh to seriously consider the responsibility for lax management of prostitution of the leaders and chief police officers of three districts.



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A staff of an inn in Do Son invites tourists to have fun with prostitutes. Photo: Hai Phong Newspaper.

 

On July 8, after listening to the reports by officials of Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong and Nam Dinh on the situation of prostitution control, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, who is also Chairman of the National Committee for AIDS, Drug and Prostitution Prevention, asked the three cities to seriously consider the responsibility of the officials and police chiefs of Binh Thanh district (HCM City), Do Son town (Hai Phong) and Giao Thuy district (Nam Dinh) for lax management of prostitution activities, causing public concerns.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc stressed that the prevention of HIV/AIDS, drug addiction and prostitution is very complicated now. He asked provinces to raise awareness and responsibility for this task.

Phuc also instructed police, military, border guard, and security aviation forces to launch joint operations to prevent drug trafficking into Vietnam.

Drugs are mostly carried into Vietnam through border gates in the north-western and south-western regions, and at airports. Statistics show that relevant agencies along the Vietnam-Laos and Vietnam-China borders have detected 2,673 cases and arrested more than 3,500 people bringing a total of 160kg of heroin into Vietnam in the past six months. There are increased numbers of criminal cases and traffickers compared to the six-month period last year, according to the National Committee on HIV/AIDS, Drug and Prostitution Prevention and Control.

More crackdown campaigns are needed to reduce supply sources, and more communications campaigns should be launched to reduce demands, added Phuc.

According to the National Committee for AIDS, Drug and Prostitution Prevention, the number of HIV infections and deaths fell considerably compared to the same period last year, but HIV transmission through sexual contact was at an alarming rate, mostly in the 30-39 year age group.  The disease is more prevalent in mountainous areas in Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Son La, Thanh Hoa, and Nghe An provinces.

Deputy PM Phuc asked the Ministry of Health to replicate the Methadone treatment model and introduce guidelines for synthetic drug users.  

He requested relevant ministries, agencies and localities to work on a new drug detoxification project for submission to the government, develop community-based drug detoxification models, and support drug reformers.  

Initial statistics show that as of late 2012, Vietnam recorded over 171,000 drug users, 12,900 more than the 2011 figure. Over 46,000 drug addicts underwent detoxification, meeting 133% of the year plan.

Up to now, Vietnam has recorded 30,000 prostitutes. Over 1,100 cases involving prostitution were exposed in which 4,800 people were captured.

Compiled by L. Ha