A doctor examines an HIV patient at the HIV/AIDS prevention and control centre of Khanh Hoa province (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam has expanded healthinsurance coverage among HIV patients taking ARV treatment to 83.4 percent atpresent from 50 percent in 2016, helping ensure that they can maintainlong-term treatment in the context of decreasing international financialsupport for the field.
According to the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Departmentunder the Health Ministry, the rate has reached 100 percent in five provincesin the country which are Ha Nam, Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Lang Son and Ca Mau, andmore than 90 percent in 30 provinces and centrally-run cities.
Stephanie De Goes, coordinator of PEPFAR (the US President’sEmergency Plan for AIDS Relief) in Vietnam said health insurance is thebackbone of a nation’s sustainable HIV/AIDS treatment programme.
[Ministry expects all HIV patients covered by health insurance]
PEPFAR has worked with Vietnamese Health Ministry and otherpartners to expand health insurance coverage among HIV patients and improve accessto HIV/AIDS treatment services through health insurance.
According to Stephanie De Goes, Vietnam is the mostsuccessful among countries working with PEPFAR to provide health insurance forHIV patients.
The HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Department said thehealth sector is rushing to prepare for the provision of ARV medicine through theHealth Insurance Fund as from January 1, 2019 under the Prime Minister’sDecision 1125/QD-TTg dated July 31, 2017. Accordingly, after the decision takeseffect, 191 medical establishments will be provided with ARV medicine to treat around48,000 patients.-VNA
