Addressing the event, co-organised by the Swedish and US embassies in Vietnam, Son informed that the rate of HIV-infected people receiving anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment with a viral load below the inhibitory threshold in Vietnam has reached 96%. This has helped to reducing community HIV infection, he added.

Toward the goal of eradicating AIDS by 2030, Vietnam is facing a big challenge of ensuring financial sources for HIV/AIDS prevention and control, the official noted.

The health insurance fund is now paying for the treatment of  nearly 170,000 people with HIV, Son said, adding that however, both the domestic sources and international donations have just covered some 70% of annual financial demand for such treatment.

Since 2003, the Global Fund has offered Vietnam non-refundable aid worth approximately 256 million USD to finance HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities.

Source: VNA