A caregiver attends to children with HIV at the Linh Xuan Child Sponsor Centre in HCM City (Photo VNA)HCMCity (VNA) - The proportion of people with HIV/AIDS in HCM City whohave health insurance surged to 70 percent last February from 20 percent inApril last year, according to the city HIV/AIDS Prevention Centre.
TheVietnam Administration of HIV/AIDS Control reported that aid under the USPresident’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, known as PEPFAR, for freeanti-retroviral (ARV) drugs and treatment would be cut by 40 percent this yearend and end next year.
Forthe 2016-20 period the Government has allocated only 100 billion VND (4.4million USD) for buying ARV drugs for health facilities, Dr Vu Duc Long of theadministration, said.
Thismeans HIV/AIDS patients have to pay for medicines and treatment, he told aworkshop held on March 30 to review HIV/AIDS treatment in the city last yearpaid for by health insurance.
Butmany of the patients have financial difficulties, he said.
DrDuong Minh Hai of the HIV/AIDS Prevention Centre said since last May the centreand other relevant organisations have counselled 27,685 out of 29,402 patientsgetting treatment.
Thishas helped them understand the benefits of health insurance, he said.
Asa consequence 70 percent of the patients have bought health insurance, he added.
Ofthe remaining, 408 cannot afford it, 751 lack identification cards and otherdocuments such as temporary or permanent residential book.
DrNguyen Huu Hung, deputy head of the city Department of Health, said thedepartment has recommended that the People’s Committee should approve thepurchase of health insurance for poor HIV/AIDS patents using the abundance ofmoney in the health insurance fund.
NguyenAnh Phong of the Vietnam Network of People Living with HIV said members want tocollaborate with the centre to help people with HIV/AIDS lacking relevantdocuments buy insurance.
Theyhope to help them acquire the documents, he explained.
BuiDuc Duong, deputy head of the Vietnam Administration of HIV/AIDS Control, saidhowever that patients without insurance are “not left behind” because themanagers and staff of health facilities usually mobilise donations to fundtheir treatment.
ThuDuc District Hospital, for instance, has funded the purchase of healthinsurance for 40 patients who cannot afford it.
TieuThi Thu Van, head of the city HIV/AIDS Prevention Centre, said patients are nowtreated at four city-level hospitals, many preventive health centres and 16district general hospitals.
Around3,000 are treated at ward and commune health centres, she said.
TheDepartment of Health plans to allow private general clinics to treat patientswith ARV drugs, she added.
Asof January 31 last year 116,000 patients were getting ARV therapy at 393 healthfacilities and 32 prisons, according to the Vietnam Administration of HIV/AIDSControl.-VNA
TheVietnam Administration of HIV/AIDS Control reported that aid under the USPresident’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, known as PEPFAR, for freeanti-retroviral (ARV) drugs and treatment would be cut by 40 percent this yearend and end next year.
Forthe 2016-20 period the Government has allocated only 100 billion VND (4.4million USD) for buying ARV drugs for health facilities, Dr Vu Duc Long of theadministration, said.
Thismeans HIV/AIDS patients have to pay for medicines and treatment, he told aworkshop held on March 30 to review HIV/AIDS treatment in the city last yearpaid for by health insurance.
Butmany of the patients have financial difficulties, he said.
DrDuong Minh Hai of the HIV/AIDS Prevention Centre said since last May the centreand other relevant organisations have counselled 27,685 out of 29,402 patientsgetting treatment.
Thishas helped them understand the benefits of health insurance, he said.
Asa consequence 70 percent of the patients have bought health insurance, he added.
Ofthe remaining, 408 cannot afford it, 751 lack identification cards and otherdocuments such as temporary or permanent residential book.
DrNguyen Huu Hung, deputy head of the city Department of Health, said thedepartment has recommended that the People’s Committee should approve thepurchase of health insurance for poor HIV/AIDS patents using the abundance ofmoney in the health insurance fund.
NguyenAnh Phong of the Vietnam Network of People Living with HIV said members want tocollaborate with the centre to help people with HIV/AIDS lacking relevantdocuments buy insurance.
Theyhope to help them acquire the documents, he explained.
BuiDuc Duong, deputy head of the Vietnam Administration of HIV/AIDS Control, saidhowever that patients without insurance are “not left behind” because themanagers and staff of health facilities usually mobilise donations to fundtheir treatment.
ThuDuc District Hospital, for instance, has funded the purchase of healthinsurance for 40 patients who cannot afford it.
TieuThi Thu Van, head of the city HIV/AIDS Prevention Centre, said patients are nowtreated at four city-level hospitals, many preventive health centres and 16district general hospitals.
Around3,000 are treated at ward and commune health centres, she said.
TheDepartment of Health plans to allow private general clinics to treat patientswith ARV drugs, she added.
Asof January 31 last year 116,000 patients were getting ARV therapy at 393 healthfacilities and 32 prisons, according to the Vietnam Administration of HIV/AIDSControl.-VNA
VNA
