Current state of HIV/AIDS epidemic in some Northern Vietnam provinces

ABSTRACT

Background: From the first case of HIV/AIDS in Vietnam on December 1990, up to June 30th 2007, there were 126,543 cases of HIV infections, 24,788 AIDS patients and 13,874 AIDS-related deaths. Strong political commitments were given by the government to develop HIV/AIDS prevention and control programs. Objectives: To discover the current state of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and HIV/AIDS prevention as well as control in a number of northern provinces and to discover various related factors. Subjects and method: An analytic cross-sectional study was carried out from 2006 to 2007 on the leaders of local authorities, health facilities and HIV-infected people in 7 northern provinces. The documents and reports related to HIV/AIDS prevention and control were reviewed. Results: HIV/AIDS epidemic is not the problem of only the health system; it was increasing as a complex problem. HIV infection rate was higher in Quang Ninh, Ha Noi, and Son La. Among HIV-infected people, drug-injected users accounted for 93%. The prevention of HIV/AIDS has been planed, carried out in all communities, but is not very efficient and it requires high-quality solutions that should be widened to control and reduce this disease. Conclusion: The efficacy of current HIV/AIDS prevention and control program was not proficient.