Motorbikes with red flags and banners in response to World AIDS Day parade though Bac Giang streets (Photo: VNA)

This year’s month of action is themed: “Joint action to end AIDS epidemic.” Addressing the ceremony organized by the Health Ministry and Bac Giang Provincial People’s Committee, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam said that to prevent and control HIV/AIDS, we need to say no to drugs and prostitution and take measures to prevent everybody from contracting the virus. He called on all officials and people to join efforts so that Vietnam will be one of the leading countries in ending the epidemic.

Eamonn Murphy, Director of the Joint UN Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) Regional Support Team for Asia and the Pacific, praised Vietnam’s achievements. He said the HIV/AIDS epidemics has been controlled below 0.3 percent with decreases in the number of new HIV/AIDS patients, that of those in transition to AIDS period, and that of fatalities by AIDS.

Vietnam aims to achieve the Joint UN Program on 90-90-90 targets by 2020 and ending AIDS by 2030. The 90-90-90 targets are 90% of people living with HIV know their status, of whom 90% are on treatment, of whom 90% are virally suppressed.