U.K. Funds US$30M for Vietnam’s Fight Against HIV/AIDS
The U.K. Government’s Department for International Development (DFID) approved funding of US$30 million June 5 to help Vietnam curb the spread of HIV/AIDS from now to 2012, local media reported.
The sum will be added to the US$33 million ongoing program running by the World Bank to form a joint program to enhance the country’s efforts to combat the disease.
The program is expected to prevent an estimated 28,000 new infections and consequently create US$97 million net savings on direct treatment costs, Head of the DFID Vietnam Fiona Louise Lappin said.
It will also support the government’s targets to keep the rate of HIV amongst intravenous drug users below 20 per cent and amongst sex workers below 3 per cent.
The DFID has provided US$31 million to the “Preventing HIV in Vietnam” program since 2003.
Recently, a national report on 2008 MDGs showed that Vietnam may not achieve its Millennium Development Goal (MDG) on halting and reserving the spread of HIV/AIDS by 2015.
One of main reasons is attributed to limitations in implementing and expanding harm reduction programs and propaganda on condom usage. In addition, the shortage of human sources is a huge challenge facing the country’s fight. (The People’s Deputy, VOV)
Vietnamese
