VietNamNet Bridge – Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved additional funding of US$10.47 million to implement the “Vietnam HIV/AIDS Prevention Project”.

Accordingly, the PM will extend the deadline for the implementation of the World Bank-funded project to December 31, 2013 and has assigned the Ministry of Health and the provincial and municipal People’s Committees to provide sufficient capital to implement the project as scheduled.

Dung has also asked the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) to work with the World Bank to provide the additional funding and extend the deadline for the project under the current regulations.

According to the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Department under the Ministry of Health, until September 30, 2012, the country presently has more than 206,000 recorded cases of HIV, including more than 59,000 who have progressed to full-blown AIDS.  The death toll from HIV/AIDS stands at over 62,000.

There are also warnings of rapid increases in HIV infection among communities in mountainous regions if left unchecked.

In Hanoi and HCM City, it is forecast that HIV rates are likely to increase amongst same-sex partners and the estimated number of patients needing antiretroviral therapy will reach more than 140,000 by 2015.

Source: VOV online