According to Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Hua Ngoc Thuan, the city will attempt to restrict new cases of HIV infection to under 0.08 percent by 2015, in a bid to reduce the negative influence of HIV/AIDS on the city’s socio-economic development.
In addition, the city will also intensify education and publicity work in a bid to raise the community’s awareness of HIV/AIDS, while focusing on providing anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment for HIV carriers.
New treatment methods with low expense will be also introduced to communities to help people living with HIV easily access them.
Campaigns raising awareness of how to prevent infections from passing between pregnant women and their babies will be introduced in the hope of eradicating HIV infections in newborns.
As of 2013, Ho Chi Minh City recorded 58,000 people living with HIV and 33,200 AIDS patients. The virus has led to the death of some 9.900 people in the city.
In the 2006-2010 period, there were 6,500 new HIV cases per year , however the figure was reduced to 2,200 from 2011-1013. The number of deaths caused by AIDS also saw a reducing trend every year.
In the coming time, the involvement of entire society is need to eradicate HIV/AIDS infection in the city and the country in general as soon as possible, Thuan said.
