News outlines the allocation of financial resources to poor HIV carriers in Vietnam.
The Vietnamese Government which intends to stabilize the rates of HIV by the year 2020 has proposed to offer allowances worth atleast 4.1 US dollars to HIV infected individuals on a monthly basis. It has also been planned to reduce the rate of HIV infection to below 0.3 percent by 2010. The current projected population of Vietnam approximates to nearly 82 million.
Under a recent government decision, poor HIV carriers living in communities are to enjoy an allowance of at least 65,000 Vietnamese dong (VND) (roughly 4.1 US dollars), and HIV-positive adults in state-run social patronage centers 140,000 VND (8.8 dollars). Children in the centers would receive at least 210,000 VND (13.2 dollars) each.The local agencies have been urged to work towards the prevention of HIV/AIDS in conjunction with more aggressive fights against social evils such as drug addiction and prostitution by the Secretariat of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee. This move is anticipated to foster socio-economic development.
In response to the request, the local health agencies have been involved in campaigns to raise public awareness about HIV in general, HIV transmission and prevention amongst the public. The main focus is to encourage youths to adopt “ABC” preventive approach (Abstinence, Being faithful and Condom use) to prevent widespread HIV transmission. Warning notices are also being issued.
The main mode of transmission of HIV is through heterosexual contact with more men contracting the disease following sexual intercourse with infected prostitutes or sharing of needles for injection of intravenous drugs with infected drug addicts.
The above move is expected to improve the heath and socioeconomic status of the massive proportion of Vietnamese citizens suffering from the deadly disease.
