Hanoi (VNA)– Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam hoped that the National AIDS ControlOrganization of India will make it easy for Vietnam to learn about itsbuprenorphine treatment programme and access low-priced buprenorphine in India.
Vietnam will use buprenorphine in the treatment for users of additivesubstances, Dam said while hosting Arun Kumar Panda, Additional Secretary ofthe National AIDS Control Organization of India in Hanoi on May 12.
He hailed cooperation between the Vietnamese Ministry of Health and theMinistry of Health and Family Welfare of India, especially in the treatment fordrug users and the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS.
He told his guest thatHIV infections among drug users in Vietnam reduced to 9.3 percent in 2016 from29 percent in 2001 owing to such intervention programmes as the methadonetreatment, which has been closely instructed by the Government.
Regarding the methadone treatment, he elaborated that since the treatment waspiloted in 2008, a legal framework as well as treatment guidance has beencompleted. Drug users have been facilitated to access the treatment, which isplanned to be expanded.
Arun Kumar Panda spoke highly of Vietnam’s addictive substance treatment andHIV/AIDS control efforts.
He affirmed that the National AIDS Control Organization will actively supportVietnam in studying India’s buprenorphine-used treatment programme and gettingaccess to India-made buprenorphine.-VNA