Workshop “To promote the involvement of communities in the implementation of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy in Vietnam”

Present at the Workshop were Mme. Ha Thi Khiet, member of the Central Party Committee, President of Vietnam Women’s Union; Mr. Jordan Ryan, Resident Representative of UNDP,Mr. Tran Tien Duc, National Director of POLICY Project, Mme. Nancy Fee, Country Coordinator of UNAIDS in Vietnam, Mme. Susan Chong, Progam coordinator of APCASO and representatives from concerned ministries, agencies and mass organizations, international organizations, mass media and groups of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs).

Opening the workshop, Mme. Ha Thi Khiet emphasized that “Nowadays, stigma o­n people with HIV is still heavily persisted in communities. This, together with poverty, unemployment, drug abuse, prostitution, have had negative impacts o­n the achievements gained in the fight against HIV/AIDS”.

During the Workshop, participants were overviewed o­n the HIV/AIDS situation in Vietnam; shared and exchanged experience and best practices in Vietnam including successful models of Vietnam Women’s Union as well as international support to promote the involvement of communities, including people with HIV, in the National HIV/AIDS Strategy. The Workshop was also a venue for discussions o­n the next steps to be done in promoting the community involvement in the implementation of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy by the year 2010 and Vision 2020 o­n HIV/AIDS prevention.