Decision No. 1246/QD-TTg 2020 National Strategy to End the AIDS Epidemic by 2030

DECISION

Approving the National Strategy to End the AIDS Epidemic by 2030^[1]

THE PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the June 19, 2015 Law on Organization of the Government;

Pursuant to the June 29, 2006 Law on Prevention and Control of Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS);

Pursuant to Resolution No. 20-NQ/TW of October 25, 2017, of the Party Central Committee, on enhancing the protection of, care for, and improvement of, the people’s health in the new situation;

At the proposal of the Minister of Health.

DECIDES:

Article 1. To approve the National Strategy to End the AIDS Epidemic by 2030, which is promulgated together with this Decision.

Article 2. This Decision takes effect on the date of its signing.

Article 3. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-attached agencies, and chairpersons of provincial-level People’s Committees shall implement this Decision.-

For the Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister
VU DUC DAM

NATIONAL STRATEGY TO END THE AIDS EPIDEMIC BY 2030

(Promulgated together with the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 1246/QD-TTg
of August 14, 2020)

Part I

CONTEXT OF PROMULGATION OF THE STRATEGY

HIV/AIDS constitutes an important community well-being issue, affecting socio-economic development and national development. By June 2020, Vietnam has around 250,000 HIV-infected persons recorded in 100% of provinces and centrally cities and 98% of districts, of whom more than 100,000  have died.

Vietnam has so far promulgated many important documents aiming to control the increase of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, including the National Strategy for Prevention and Control of HIV/AIDS in Vietnam up to 2020, with a vision toward 2030, issued together with the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 608/QD-TTg of May 25, 2012. Over the past time, ministries, sectors, Party Committees and administrations at all levels have proactively led and directed the implementation of the Strategy and gained numerous achievements. HIV transmission prevention measures have been widely applied, such as providing needles, syringes and condoms to high-risk behavior groups; providing opiate substitution treatment; providing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) treatment; and conducting public communication to change behaviors and reduce stigma and discrimination concerning HIV/AIDS. Types of facility-based HIV testing, community-based HIV testing and HIV self-testing have been expanded and diversified. HIV/AIDS treatment services have been expanded in terms of coverage and improved in terms of quality, persons found to be HIV-infected have been provided with immediate treatment; the HIV/AIDS treatment networks have been integrated and decentralized; the coverage of mother-to-child HIV transmission prevention treatment services has been expanded, and the quality of HIV/AIDS treatment has been guaranteed. As a result, the HIV/AIDS epidemic has been step by step controlled, the numbers of new HIV infections and new AIDS cases and HIV/AIDS-related deaths have been constantly declined year by year, the target of keeping the HIV prevalence in the community at below 0.3% in 2020 has been attained. It is estimated that over the past 20 years, precautionary treatment has been provided to prevent more than 400,000 persons from being infected with HIV and 150,000 persons from dying of AIDS. Vietnam is evaluated by the world community as a bright spot in HIV/AIDS prevention and control and has basically fulfilled objectives and tasks set forth in the Strategy.

However, developments of the HIV/AIDS epidemic remain complicated. HIV/AIDS is still an anxious issue concerning the community well-being. The HIV prevalence in the group of injecting drug users is still beyond 10% while the HIV prevalence in the group of men having sex with men (MSM) increases rapidly in recent years. Around 10,000 cases of new HIV infections are found every year and the rate of mother-to-child HIV transmission in the community is 6%. In addition, the reduction of international aid, change in HIV/AIDS prevention and control organizations at various levels and lack of attention in some localities pose great challenges to HIV/AIDS prevention and control work.

Vietnam is now having a big opportunity to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030 with the targets that the number of new HIV infections every year will fall to below 1,000 by 2030 and HIV/AIDS will no longer be an anxious health issue of each individual, family or community. Therefore, there must be a new national strategy for HIV/AIDS prevention and control which is appropriate and organized in a comprehensive and effective manner. 

Part II

VIEWPOINTS, OBJECTIVES, TASKS AND SOLUTIONS

I. VIEWPOINTS

1. HIV/AIDS is a dangerous epidemic and a threat to human health and lives and socio-economic development. HIV/AIDS prevention and control constitute an important task that requires the coordination of Party Committees at all levels, ministries, sectors, local administrations and mass organizations and the responsibility of each person or community.

2. HIV/AIDS prevention and control must adhere to the principle of guaranteeing human rights, fighting stigma and discrimination against HIV-infected people, and attaching importance to women, children, groups vulnerable to HIV infection, ethnic minority groups and inhabitants in remote, deep-lying and border areas.

3. To ensure the fulfillment of Vietnam’s international commitments on HIV/AIDS prevention and control.

4. To combine professional and technical measures of the health sector with social measures in HIV/AIDS prevention and control on the principle of associating HIV/AIDS prevention with comprehensive care and treatment.

5. The State shall guarantee resources for HIV/AIDS prevention and control in conformity with developments of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and national socio-economic development capacity and conditions and, at the same time, step up the mobilization of other resources for HIV/AIDS prevention and control. Provinces and cities shall take the initiative in arranging resources for HIV/AIDS prevention and control in their localities.

II. OBJECTIVES

1. General objectives:

To intensify HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities to reduce the number of new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths, end the AIDS epidemic in Vietnam by 2030, and minimize impacts of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on socio-economic development.

2. Specific objectives:

a/ To expand and renovate public communication and intervention activities to reduce harms and prevent HIV transmission; the rate of high-risk behavior persons having access to HIV transmission prevention services will reach 80% by 2030.

b/ To expand and diversify types of HIV testing and counseling services, boost community-based HIV testing and HIV self-testing; the rate of HIV-infected persons who know their HIV status will reach 95% by 2030; to closely monitor developments of the HIV/AIDS epidemic among high-risk behavior groups.

c/ To expand the coverage and raise quality of HIV/AIDS treatment services; the rate of HIV-infected persons who know their HIV status and are provided with antiretroviral therapy (ART) treatment will reach 95%; the rate of persons on ART treatment whose viral load is suppressed below the detectible threshold will reach 95%; to eliminate mother-to-child HIV transmission by 2030.

d/ To consolidate and increase capacity of HIV/AIDS prevention and control systems at all levels; to ensure sufficient human resources and funds for HIV/AIDS prevention and control.

3. Targets:

The group of targets on impacts

a/ The number of new HIV infections will decrease to below 1,000 per year by 2030.

b/ The rate of HIV/AIDS-related deaths will decrease to below 1 per 100,000 persons by 2030.

c/ The rate of mother-to-child HIV transmission will decrease to below 2% by 2030.

The group of targets on prevention

d/ The rate of high-risk behavior persons having access to HIV transmission prevention services will reach 70% by 2025 and 80% by 2030.

dd/ The rate of opioid drug addicts receiving treatment with opioid substitution therapies or other drugs or remedies will reach at least 40% by 2025 and at least 50% by 2030.

e/ The rate of persons provided with PrEP treatment among the MSM group will reach 30% by 2025 and 40% by 2030.

g/ The rate of persons aged between 15 years and 24 years who have sufficient understanding about HIV/AIDS will reach 80% by 2030.

h/ The rate of persons aged between 15 years and 49 years who do not hold stigma or discrimination against HIV-infected persons will reach 80% by 2030.

The group of targets on testing

i/ The rate of HIV-infected persons who know their HIV status will reach 90% by 2025 and 95% by 2030.

k/ The rate of high-risk behavior persons who are annually tested for HIV will reach 70% by 2025 and 80% by 2030.

The group of targets on treatment

l/ The rate of HIV-infected persons who know their HIV status and receive ARV treatment will reach 90% by 2025 and 95% by 2030.

m/ The rate of HIV-infected persons who are on ARV treatment and have their viral load suppressed to below the detectible threshold will reach at least 95% year by year.

n/ The rate of patients co-infected with HIV/tuberculosis who receive both ARV and tuberculosis treatment will reach 92% by 2025 and 95% by 2030.

o/ The rate of patients co-infected with HIV/hepatitis C who receive both ARV and hepatitis C treatment will reach at least 50% by 2025 and at least 75% by 2030.

The group of targets on the health system

p/ By 2021, all provinces and centrally run cities will have plans or schemes on assurance of funds for implementation of the objective of ending the AIDS epidemic and allocate annul local budgets for HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities according to approved plans.

q/ To strive for the target that all HIV-infected persons will be covered by health insurance.

r/ To ensure sufficient supply of medicines, biologicals, supplies and equipment for HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities.

s/ All provinces and centrally run cities will have data collection systems up to standards to monitor developments of the epidemic and evaluate effectiveness of HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities.

III. TASKS

1. To study and formulate policies, legal documents and professional and technical instructions and guidelines on HIV/AIDS prevention and control in conformity with the new socio-economic situation.

2. To mobilize all resources and the participation of agencies, organizations, units and local people and community in HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities.

3. To organize public information, education and communication about HIV/AIDS prevention and control for all subjects, combining the dissemination of the Party’s guidelines and the State’s policies and laws with communication about harms and consequences of HIV/AIDS on human health and socio-economic development.

4. To organize the implementation of professional and technical measures of the health sector to minimize HIV transmission and address issues related to health of AIDS patients.

5. To closely combine HIV/AIDS prevention and control with drug and prostitution prevention and control.

6. To fulfill international commitments and effectively implement international cooperation on HIV/AIDS prevention and control.

IV. SOLUTIONS

1. Political and social solutions:

a/ Intensifying the implementation of the Party’s guidelines and State’s policies and laws on HIV/AIDS prevention and control

- To enhance the Party’s leadership and direction of HIV/AIDS prevention and control, considering it an important political task; to step up inspection, examination and supervision of HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities;

- To prioritize funds for HIV/AIDS prevention and control in conformity with the epidemic situation and socio-economic conditions in each locality;

- To raise capacity, effectiveness and effect of the state management of HIV/AIDS prevention and control; to integrate HIV/AIDS prevention and control objectives and targets into health-related plans and socio-economic development programs and plans of localities.

b/ Inter-sectoral coordination

- Ministries and sectors shall take the initiative in formulating plans on, arranging funds for, and coordinating with one another in implementing, HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities in conformity with functions and tasks of each unit; to carry out appropriate inter-sectoral coordination activities so as to improve effectiveness of HIV/AIDS prevention and control;

- To integrate HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities into hunger eradication and poverty alleviation, employment, and livelihood creation programs and other support programs to help HIV-infected persons earn a living and integrate themselves into communities which are implemented by ministries, sectors and localities;

-To intensify inspection and examination and intervention measures to reduce harms and prevent HIV transmission, especially at entertainment service and accommodations establishments, and impose penalties on those failing to implement these measures;

- To integrate HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities into movements and themed talks and include targets on support and assistance for HIV/AIDS-infected persons to integrate themselves into communities into working agendas of socio-political organizations.

c/ Mobilizing the participation of communities in HIV/AIDS prevention and control

To create favorable policy environment and financial mechanisms for social organizations to participate in provision of HIV/AIDS prevention and control services, including also those funded with the state budget. To build capacity for social organizations and mobilize social organizations to effectively participate in provision of HIV/AIDS prevention and control services.

d/ Social assistance

- To boost vocational training and job creation activities; to develop sustainable production and business models for HIV-infected persons, persons vulnerable to HIV transmission and persons affected by HIV/AIDS;

- To provide material and spiritual support for HIV-infected persons and their families to stabilize their lives, integrate themselves into communities and receive family- and community-based care; to ensure fairness and equality in HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities;

- To continue implementing social subsidy policies for HIV-infected children of poor households, HIV-infected persons of poor households who have lost working capacity but are not entitled to pension or social insurance allowances in accordance with law.

2. Solutions regarding laws, regimes and policies:

a/ Continuing to review and improve the system of legal documents on HIV/AIDS prevention and control in order to ensure their suitability with reality and consistency with other relevant laws;

b/ Regularly organizing dissemination and education of law on HIV/AIDS prevention and control, attaching importance to education and dissemination of the law on rights and obligations of HIV-infected persons;

c/ Intensifying examination and inspection and strictly handling violations of the law on HIV/AIDS prevention and control.

3. Solutions concerning HIV transmission prevention:

a/ Renewing and improving quality of public information, education and communication work

- Public communication: To open specialized pages and columns on HIV/AIDS prevention and control; to make and publish video clips, static banners and slogans, etc.; to conduct propaganda on e-newspapers having a great number of readers; to produce news, articles, reports and documentaries for publishing or broadcasting in the mass media;

- Technology-based communication: To produce video clips, short films and information for propaganda on digital technology-based platforms of social networks;

- Communication via the grassroots information system: To increase the time volume for and frequency of propaganda and dissemination via radio and television systems so as to provide people and communities with recommendations about HIV/AIDS prevention and control suitable to different subjects, localities, areas and regions;

- Communication in other forms: To integrate HIV/AIDS prevention and control into teaching and learning activities at educational institutions of the national education system; cultural, art and sports activities; and activities of agencies, organizations, communities and grassroots cultural institutions; to integrate HIV/AIDS prevention and control into public communication about gender equality, gender awareness improvement, sexual health and reproductive health education, family education, and building of happy and sustainable families;

- To promote the role and responsibility of the grassroots information system, mobilize the participation of social organizations, celebrities, heads of residential communities, religious dignitaries, the elderly, prestigious people in the community, and HIV-infected persons in HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities. 

b/ Reducing HIV-related stigma and discrimination:

- To change the mindset concerning public communication about HIV/AIDS prevention and control and stop intimidating communication; to mobilize the participation of HIV-infected persons and high-risk behavior persons in public communication activities;

- To improve knowledge about reduction of HIV-related stigma and discrimination at the family, community, study place and workplace; to implement comprehensive measures to reduce HIV-related stigma and discrimination at medical establishments;

- To encourage HIV-infected persons and their communities to participate in the process of formulating, implementing, and monitoring and supervising the implementation of, HIV-related stigma and discrimination reduction activities.

c/ Expanding and renewing intervention measures to reduce harms and prevent HIV transmission:

- To concentrate efforts on implementing intervention measures to prevent HIV transmission for groups at high risk of HIV infection, drug users, MSM, transgender women, female sex workers and their clients; and people sharing syringes and needles with HIV-infected persons;

- To diversify models of free-of-charge provision of condoms, syringes and needles suitable to users’ demands, and expand the provision of condoms, syringes and needles via commercial channels;

- To renew and improve quality of opioid substitution treatment; to expand various models of treatment and dose provision at grassroots-level establishments. To implement on a trial basis and expand the model of take-away doses; to develop intervention models for synthetic drug users, amphetamine users and multiple-drug users;

- To expand the coverage of HIV PrEP treatment services for high-risk behavior groups via state-run and private health systems; to provide HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) treatment services.

- To apply on a trial basis and expand appropriate intervention measures to prevent HIV transmission in custody houses, detention camps, prisons, compulsory education institutions and reformatories;

- To provide combined examination and treatment services for sexually transmitted infections for groups of persons with behaviors carrying high risk of HIV sexual transmission; to develop models of provision of comprehensive and constant HIV transmission prevention services linked with other medical and social support services.

4. Solutions regarding HIV testing and counseling:

a/ HIV screening testing

- To diversify HIV testing and counseling services; to intensify  facility-based HIV testing services and expand the coverage of community-based HIV testing, mobile HIV testing and HIV self-testing services;

- To apply HIV testing and counseling models suitable to different high-risk behavior groups, including drug users, MSM, transgender people, female sex workers and prisoners; to expand the scope of HIV testing to cover sexual partners and persons sharing syringes and needles with HIV-infected persons; to test HIV for pregnant women;

- To apply new testing techniques and biologicals and new sampling methods in HIV infection diagnosis and identify high-risk behavior persons in order to apply appropriate intervention measures to prevent HIV transmission.

b/ Increasing the number of labs competent to confirm HIV positive status, especially at district-level establishments in mountainous, deep-lying and remote areas, so as to notify test results confirming the HIV positive status to persons who have been tested; regularly updating HIV confirmation testing methods.

c/ Ensuring quality of HIV tests through internal quality and external quality assessment, technical assistance monitoring and assessment of quality of laboratories in order to improve quality of HIV testing and counseling; ensuring and maintaining national reference laboratories for HIV/AIDS.

d/ Intensifying measures to transfer HIV-infected persons from HIV testing and counseling services to care and ART treatment services.

5. Solutions regarding treatment of and care for HIV-infected persons:

a/ Expanding the coverage of HIV/AIDS treatment services

- To provide ART treatment to HIV-infected persons right after HIV diagnosis and identification; to expand the coverage of HIV/AIDS treatment at prisons, custody houses, detention camps, compulsory education institutions, reformatories, medical treatment establishments, educational institutions, social labor establishments, religious organizations, social organizations and other lawful organizations; to mobilize the participation of the private health sector in HIV/AIDS treatment;

- To integrate HIV/AIDS treatment services into the medical examination and treatment system; to decentralize HIV/AIDS treatment to grassroots medical establishments; to expand HIV/AIDS care and treatment services at the commune level and provision of family- and community-based care for HIV/AIDS patients;

- To increase HIV testing and counseling for pregnant women; to provide ART treatment to HIV-infected pregnant women; to conduct early diagnosis of, manage, and provide treatment to, children born to HIV-infected mothers;

- To increase the prevention, detection and treatment for HIV/AIDS coinfections, including tuberculosis, hepatitis B and C, and sexually transmitted diseases.

b/ Improving quality of HIV/AIDS treatment

- To timely update guidelines on HIV/AIDS care and treatment according to new recommendations in conformity with Vietnam’s conditions; to optimize HIV/AIDS treatment regimens and ensure safe and effective treatment; to provide HIV/AIDS treatment services suitable to the situation of patients; to enhance the management, monitoring and support of HIV/AIDS treatment adherence;

- To expand HIV/AIDS treatment quality improvement activities and integrate them into hospital quality management systems; to expand the coverage of HIV/AIDS treatment monitoring tests;

- To increase activities to prevent and oversee HIV drug resistance; to monitor, evaluate and prevent harmful effects of antiretroviral drugs in HIV/AIDS treatment; to integrate HIV drug resistance monitoring and early warning to HIV/AIDS treatment quality management.

6. Solutions regarding HIV/AIDS epidemic surveillance, monitoring, assessment and scientific research:

a/ Collecting and synthesizing data on HIV/AIDS prevention and control nationwide on a regular basis; improving quality and using data in the making of policies and formulation of plans on, and assessment of effectiveness of, HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities;

b/ Establishing an HIV case surveillance system from the time of identification of HIV infection to the time of treatment, change of treatment establishments, treatment quality, treatment adherence and deaths (if any) for each HIV-infected person; mapping and identifying areas with high HIV prevalence and formulating an epidemic warning system in order to direct and apply measures to control HIV transmission in a timely manner;

c/ Continuing to carry out HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) sentinel surveillance and HIV behavioral surveillance as appropriate; applying new techniques to diagnosis of HIV infection in sentinel surveillance so as to assess and estimate HIV transmission risks among high-risk behavior groups, particularly the MSM group;

d/ Studying and applying methods for estimating high-risk behavior population groups and projecting the HIV/AIDS epidemic which are suitable to the new situation; conducting HIV/AIDS estimates and projections at the national level and for key provinces; assessing effectiveness of HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities; intensifying the sharing and use of data in HIV/AIDS prevention and control;

dd/ Conducting scientific and technological researches and applying scientific and technological advances in implementing HIV/AIDS prevention and control measures.

7. Solution on application of information technology in HIV/AIDS prevention and control

a/ Reviewing and integrating software and information systems related to HIV/AIDS management; synchronizing data on HIV/AIDS treatment with hospital information management systems;

b/ Modernizing the HIV/AIDS prevention and control information management system so as to renew methods of providing, and improving quality of, reported data, ensuring proactivity, timeliness, accuracy and effectiveness in data sharing;

c/ Building a centralized HIV/AIDS database, applying information technology in early warning, control and public health response in HIV/AIDS prevention and control; expanding the application of information technology in management of HIV-infected persons, HIV/AIDS treatment and opioid substitution treatment;

d/ Developing HIV/AIDS-related information technology up to national standards and standards of the health sector so as to intensify the sharing of data between the HIV/AIDS prevention and control system and information system of the health sector as well as the national databases on population and health insurance.

8. Solutions regarding financial assurance:

a/ Striving to provide sufficient funds for HIV/AIDS prevention and control; prioritizing state budget funds of different levels for intervention activities to reduce harms of, and prevent, HIV transmission, epidemic surveillance, communications and intervention to priority groups in accordance with the Law on Prevention and Control of HIV/AIDS and for making up deficient funds when international aid decreases or stops. Ministries, sectors and central agencies shall take the initiative in arranging budgets for HIV/AIDS prevention and control so as to implement assigned tasks;

b/ In 2021, all provinces and centrally run cities shall work out plans or schemes on assurance of funds for attaining the objective of ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as approved by local authorities and annually allocated with sufficient funds under approved plans;

c/ Expanding HIV/AIDS treatment services covered by the Health Insurance Fund in conformity with benefits of health insurance-covered patients; adopting appropriate mechanisms to ensure that all HIV-infected persons are covered by health insurance;  

d/ Continuing to mobilize and efficiently use international aid for HIV/AIDS prevention and control;

dd/ Enhancing the participation of individuals, organizations and the private sector in investment and provision of HIV/AIDS prevention and control services in accordance with law; formulating appropriate financial mechanisms and creating favorable conditions for mobilizing sustainable participation of social organizations in the provision of HIV/AIDS prevention and control services;

e/ Enhancing the coordination and efficient use of financial sources for HIV/AIDS prevention and control; inspecting and supervising the allocation of funds from the central and local budgets for HIV/AIDS prevention and control according to approved contents.

9. Solutions regarding human resources:

a/ Consolidating the National Committee for AIDS, Drug and Prostitution Prevention and Control and local steering boards for AIDS, drug and prostitution prevention and control; amending and supplementing the Regulation on Operation of this National Committee in conformity with tasks of ministries and sectors according to their functions and tasks assigned by the Government;

b/ Consolidating and strengthening the organization of, and ensuring human resources for, HIV/AIDS prevention and control from the central to local levels;

c/ Intensifying the provision of technical assistance to consolidate and strengthen the capacity for HIV/AIDS prevention and control networks at different levels, particularly provincial and district levels;

d/ Building capacity of, and mobilizing, HIV-infected persons, high-risk behavior persons, the private health sector, social organizations and community organizations to participate in HIV/AIDS prevention and control.

10. Solutions regarding supply of goods:

a/ Building supply chains from the central to local levels, ensuring sufficient supply of drugs, biologicals, intervening utensils and equipment and devices for HIV/AIDS prevention and control;

b/ Encouraging investment in domestic manufacture of drugs, and increasing capacity for domestic suppliers of drugs, intervening utensils, equipment and devices so as to meet the demand for HIV/AIDS prevention and control in the country;

c/ Enhancing management to ensure quality of drugs and biologicals and step up the implementation of pharmacovigilance activities.

11. Solutions regarding international cooperation:

a/ Fulfilling all international obligations and commitments on HIV/AIDS prevention and control;

b/ Enhancing cooperation with international organizations as well as bilateral and multilateral cooperation and, at the same time, mobilizing financial and technical assistance for HIV/AIDS prevention and control;

c/ Closely coordinating with countries sharing the land border in cross-border HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities.

Part III

ORGANIZATION OF IMPLEMENTATION

I. ORGANIZATION OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE STRATEGY

1. At the central level:

a/ The National Committee for AIDS, Drug and Prostitution Prevention and Control shall direct and organize inspection and supervision of the implementation of the Strategy; direct the coordination of HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities with drug and prostitution prevention and control activities;

b/ The Ministry of Health shall act as the standing body assisting the Government and the National Committee for AIDS, Drug and Prostitution Prevention and Control in implementing the Strategy.

2. At the local level:

Provincial-level People’s Committees shall formulate plans, arrange resources, funds and organize the implementation of the Strategy in their localities.

II. ASSIGNMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES

1. The Ministry of Health:

a/ To assume the prime responsibility for formulating a plan on organization of the implementation of the Strategy; to guide, monitor and urge the implementation of the Strategy by ministries, sectors and localities; to annually sum up and report the Strategy implementation progress and results to the Prime Minister;

b/ To assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with related ministries and sectors in, studying, formulating and promulgating according to its competence, or submitting to competent authorities for promulgation, legal documents on HIV/AIDS prevention and control;

c/ To assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ministry of Finance and related ministries and sectors in, studying and proposing solutions for mobilizing resources and formulating plans on allocation of annual budget funds for HIV/AIDS prevention and control;

d/ To guide provincial-level People’s Committees in formulating plans, programs and schemes on assurance of financial resources for ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030;

dd/ To organize the implementation of the Strategy within the ambit of its assigned tasks and powers.

2. The Ministry of Public Security:

a/ To assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Health and related ministries and sectors in, organizing public communication about, and implementing intervention measures to reduce the harms of, and prevent HIV transmission and HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment activities and, at the same time, direct, guide and inspect HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities at establishments under its management;

b/ To review and propose amendments and supplements to regulations on drug prevention and control and security and order management at business establishments subject to security and order conditions; to perform geographical area-based management and handle violations related to HIV/AIDS prevention and control.

3. The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs:

a/ To assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Health and related ministries and sectors in, organizing public communication about and provide HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment services, at establishments under its management; to direct, guide and inspect HIV/AIDS prevention and control for laborers at workplaces; to organize, inspect and supervise the implementation of regimes and policies on support for HIV-infected persons;

b/ To coordinate with the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Health and related ministries and sectors in reviewing and revising social protection policies for HIV-infected persons, persons vulnerable to HIV transmission, and children and women affected by HIV/AIDS; to formulate and promulgate according to its competence or submit to competent authorities for promulgation appropriate policies to encourage organizations and enterprises to provide vocational training to, and recruit HIV-infected persons, persons vulnerable to HIV transmission and spouses of HIV-infected persons.

4. The Ministry of Finance:

a/ To assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with related agencies in, arranging funds within the state budget’s current expenditure estimates for implementation of the Strategy in accordance with the Law on the State Budget and current regulations on budget decentralization;

b/ To review, revise or guide expenditure items and levels for HIV/AIDS prevention and control at workplaces.

5. The Ministry of Planning and Investment:

a/ To consider and guide the inclusion of HIV/AIDS prevention and control targets in socio-economic development programs of ministries, sectors and People’s Committees of all levels under regulations;

b/ To coordinate with the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Finance in studying and proposing fundraising solutions, including also schemes on mobilization of international donations and aid for HIV/AIDS prevention and control;

c/ To assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Health and donors in, harmonizing program and project management processes, procedures and mechanisms; to enhance the coordination and management of international donations under regulations, thereby increasing their use efficiency.

6. The Ministry of Information and Communications shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Health, related ministries and sectors and localities in, formulating plans on provision of information and public communication in the mass media and at establishments; direct information and press agencies nationwide and grassroots information systems to provide information and carry out public communication about HIV/AIDS in a regular manner.

7. The Ministry of National Defense:

a/ To organize HIV/AIDS prevention and control for officers and soldiers in conformity with particular conditions of the military sector; to increase HIV/AIDS prevention and control for new recruits via HIV/AIDS prevention and control education programs for new recruits;

b/ To assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Health in, multiplying the model of combined military-civil medicine in order to disseminate HIV/AIDS prevention and control knowledge, provide counseling, care and treatment to people in border areas, islands and areas with difficult transport conditions.

8. The Vietnam Television, Voice of Vietnam and Vietnam News Agency shall, within the ambit of their functions and tasks, coordinate with related agencies in including HIV/AIDS prevention and control contents in information and communication programs; attaching importance to and making reasonable investment to improve quality of and time volume for HIV/AIDS prevention and control programs.

9. The Vietnam Social Security shall coordinate with the Ministry of Health in amending and supplementing guidance on payment for HIV/AIDS prevention and control services via the health insurance system under current regulations; and in reviewing and revising a number of articles and clauses of the Law on Health Insurance so as to create favorable conditions for HIV-infected persons to be covered by health insurance.

10. Other ministries and sectors being members of the National Committee for AIDS, Drug and Prostitution Prevention and Control and government-attached agencies shall proactively formulate and implement HIV/AIDS prevention and control plans according to their assigned functions and tasks and particular conditions; and proactively arrange sufficient funds for this work.

11. The Vietnam Fatherland Front and its member organizations, social organizations and socio-professional organizations shall actively participate in implementing, and supervising the implementation of, the Strategy according to their functions and tasks; renew contents, forms, and improve quality of the work of propaganda and mobilization of people to participate in HIV/AIDS prevention and control; support and help HIV-infected persons reintegrate themselves into the community; mobilize people to show sympathy to, encourage, and reduce stigma and discrimination against, HIV/AIDS-infected persons in the community and society.

12. Provincial-level People’s Committees:

a/ To direct and formulate plans on implementation of tasks and solutions for implementing the Strategy in their localities; to identify and integrate HIV/AIDS prevention and control targets into local socio-economic development plans;

b/ To formulate plans on financial assurance for ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 and approve such plans before 2021;

c/ To direct local agencies and organizations in closely coordinating with one another in regularly, comprehensively and effectively implementing intervention measures to reduce harms in HIV transmission prevention; to properly provide care and supportive treatment to HIV-infected persons.-