CHAI - Vietnam

The government of Vietnam, supported by CHAI, has made care and treatment for pediatric HIV patients its top priority, in its fight against HIV/AIDS, and is pursuing the ambitious goal to expand services to 33 provinces (out of 64) across the country by the end of 2008 and reach universal coverage by 2010.

This partnership leads to training of healthcare workers at both the local and national levels on pediatric antiretroviral therapy, with the project to expand to prevention of mother to child transmission and TB-HIV co-infection; providing technical assistance on care and treatment, drug management and lab referral; increasing awareness about treatment availability; promoting partnerships between donors, authorities, and groups of people living with HIV/AIDS in order to reduce stigma and discrimination but also create conditions for easier access to services; supporting the development of improved guidelines, including in the field of monitoring;  supporting the set-up within the government of a medical commodity management unit for better quantification and more cost effective procurement of antiretroviral medicines in the future.