A resilient and steadfast journey
In 1990, when the first HIV case was reported in Viet Nam, society was gripped by panic; people with HIV/AIDS were regarded as carrying a “death sentence”, leading to discrimination and isolation. Medical teams had to treat patients while protecting themselves, despite limited knowledge and equipment.
Yet compassion and duty shaped Viet Nam’s response to HIV/AIDS prevention and control.
Professor Nguyen Van Kinh, Vice President of the Viet Nam Medical Association and former Deputy Head of the Ministry of Health’s HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Department, emphasised that Viet Nam’s achievements in combating HIV/AIDS owe much to doctors, medical staff, and volunteers who engaged in treatment from the very beginning.
They broke down fear and stigma by engaging directly with those infected, conducting outreach in neighbourhoods and hostels to demonstrate that HIV is not spread through casual contact, thereby fostering empathy and understanding within the community.
From the outbreak’s onset, the Party and State prioritised HIV/AIDS prevention, promulgating numerous policies, laws, and guidelines. Active involvement from all levels, sectors, socio-political organisations, and local bodies created a “whole-of-society front” against this dangerous pandemic.
Over the past 35 years, Viet Nam has persisted in prevention and control while reducing stigma, expanding treatment, and enabling hundreds of thousands living with HIV to enjoy healthier lives and reintegration into society.
Over the past 35 years, Viet Nam has persisted in prevention and control while reducing stigma, expanding treatment, and enabling hundreds of thousands living with HIV to enjoy healthier lives and reintegration into society.
In 2006, a pivotal milestone was reached when the National Assembly passed the Law on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control—a profoundly humane statute affirming treatment rights and confidentiality for those infected.
Since then, Viet Nam has introduced prevention models and nationwide outpatient clinics, enabling tens of thousands to access ARV (antiretroviral) drugs. Today, over 90% of patients receive ARVs funded by health insurance, ensuring continuous treatment, easing financial burdens, and improving quality of life for those with HIV/AIDS.
Associate Professor Phan Thi Thu Huong, Chair of the Ha Noi Medical University Council and former Head of the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Department, notes that annually, over two million HIV tests are conducted nationwide, integrated into grassroots services, maternal-child transmission prevention, and reproductive health care. Treatment now covers 100% of provinces, with 95% of those infected receiving insurance-covered costs, ensuring sustainable financing after international aid reductions.
The rollout of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) marks a breakthrough in self-protection for high-risk individuals, alongside community-based models delivering ARVs to commune health stations and friendly clinics for stigma-free access.
In 2020, the amended Law on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control expanded service access, strengthened anti-discrimination protections, and simplified procedures, bolstering the legal foundation for the new phase.
By the end of 2024, Viet Nam recorded 245,762 people living with HIV and 116,004 cumulative deaths. Notably, nearly 90% were on ARV treatment via health insurance; 96% of treated individuals had viral loads below the undetectable threshold (non-transmissible); and nearly 90% knew their status. These results surpass Asia-Pacific averages and approach global targets. UNAIDS ranks Viet Nam among the world’s best for HIV treatment quality.
Joining hands to end the AIDS epidemic
Despite progress, challenges remain in HIV/AIDS prevention and control.
Stigma and discrimination persist, causing many people living with HIV to conceal their status or avoid testing, which restricts early detection and timely treatment. Increasing population mobility and migration complicate continuous treatment management.
Numerous patients experience interruptions in treatment, leading to drug resistance and reduced overall effectiveness.
Currently, new infections are concentrated predominantly among men, with sexual contact being the primary route of transmission. The HIV infection rate shows a marked upward trend among men who have sex with men.
Viet Nam’s 2025 National Action Month for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control is taking place from 10 November to 10 December under the theme “Unity is Strength—Join Hands to End the AIDS Epidemic”, emphasising collective action towards the 2030 AIDS-free goal.
With robust policies, widespread healthcare, and the spirit of “unity is strength”, Viet Nam can turn the goal of an AIDS-free society into reality by 2030.
The programme sets key targets, including equitable service access, ARV adherence for U=U (undetectable = untransmittable), and lifelong insurance-covered ARVs.
Dr Hoang Minh Duc, Director of the Viet Nam Administration of Disease Prevention under the Ministry of Health, stressed that to achieve the goal of ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030, it is necessary to deploy synchronised strategies: enhancing early testing and treatment via community/self-testing and “test-and-treat” at grassroots levels, prioritising high-risk groups, and revamping multi-platform communication targeting younger age groups with influencers and role model patients combating stigma.
He also emphasised the need to expand PrEP/ARV provision to communes, support vulnerable groups in remote areas, and harness digital transformation through electronic health records, HIV patient management software, and treatment dropout alerts.
With robust policies, widespread healthcare, and the spirit of “unity is strength”, Viet Nam can turn the goal of an AIDS-free society into reality by 2030.
