Gov't Approves WB-funded HIV/AIDS Prevention Project

3:26:29 PM | 7/8/2005

The Government of Vietnam has given the nod to the US$35 million HIV/AIDS prevention granted by the World Bank, according to recent decision made by Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem.

The non-refundable aid will support Vietnam's HIV/AIDS prevention strategy in the period to 2010 and the country's vision to 2020.

The capital is reported as the WB's largest non-refundable aid to Vietnam in a bid to help the country reduce the rate of HIV/AIDS infection among residents to 0.3 per cent.

The majority of the funding, around US$21.6 million, will support localities in Vietnam in carrying out programs to prevent the deadly disease. Another US$8.3 million will be used to map out policies and realise the National HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care Program and the remaining US$5.1 million will be poured in project management from central to provincial levels.

The WB will officially disburse the funding to 20 provinces and cities in the Asian country in April.

The Vietnamese Government will contribute US$3.5 million in reciprocal capital to the project.

Vietnam had 90,380 HIV/AIDS carriers, including 14,428 AIDS developers and 8,398 deaths by December 31, 2004, said Director of Preventive Healthcare and HIV/AIDS Prevention Department Trinh Quan Huan.

Vietnam's on-going national strategy on HIV/AIDS prevention and control, aims to reduce the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate among the general population to below 0.3 per cent by 2010, to prevent further increases after 2010, and to reduce the adverse impacts of HIV/AIDS on socio-economic development.