A technician at the USAID-supported Chuong My voluntary couseling and testing center interviews a client. Photo by Richard Nyberg, USAID

United States Supports HIV/AIDS Testing, Counseling in Chuong My

Monday, April 27, 2009

HANOI, April 27, 2009 -- Chuong My District Preventive Medicine Center officially launched its first voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) center in Xuan Mai on April 24, 2009.   It is the fifth VCT center supported by the U.S. Government in Hanoi Province.

The center provides free, anonymous and confidential VCT services to those who are in need in the region. The project is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), with technical support from Family Health International (FHI) in Vietnam.

The VCT center provides prevention services targeting high risk populations, particularly to inform people of their HIV status, provide counseling to reduce risks of becoming infected with the virus, and refer HIV-positive cases to free care and treatment services. Chuong My, situated on a major through fare between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, is the entry point to Hanoi where many persons at risk of becoming infected with HIV -- including injecting drug users, sex workers, migrant workers, and long-distance drivers – are concentrated. VCT is the entry point to the health system and helps to identify people in need of health services before they are too ill to fully benefit. Early diagnosis and treatment of HIV is important to ensure continued healthy and productive living. Late diagnosis can result in complications and early death.

“Chuong My district is the entry point to Hanoi, where many persons at risk of becoming infected with HIV concentrate,” said Mr. Nguyen Van Dung, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Health. “So voluntary counseling and testing services are necessary and important in HIV prevention among injecting drug users, sex workers, migrant workers, and long-distance drivers.”

According to acting USAID Health Office Director, Ellen Lynch, quality VCT is an effective HIV prevention status and offers benefits to those who test positive or negative.

“Knowing one’s status alleviates anxiety, increases clients’ perception of their vulnerability to HIV, promotes behavior change, facilitates early referral for care and support—including access to lifesaving antiretroviral therapy—and assists in reducing stigma in the community,” she said.

PEPFAR, through USAID and its implementing partners, is supporting the national HIV/AIDS strategy through HIV programs around Vietnam, and will expand to Dien Bien and Lao Cai this year.

Since 2004, PEPFAR has provided more than US $232 million to support the provision of comprehensive HIV prevention, care and treatment services in Vietnam. PEPFAR has supported 136 VCT sites around the country. Of the 32,954 people tested in these centers between October 2008 and March 2009, 32,051 returned for their test results. Vietnam is one of fifteen PEPFAR focus countries, and the only PEPFAR focus country in Asia.

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