National U=U campaign launched to control HIV/AIDS
A national communication campaign named “undetectable equals untransmittable” (U=U, or Khong phat hien=Khong lay truyen K=K in Vietnamese) was launched in Hanoi on October 22 with the support of the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Hanoi (VNA) – A national communicationcampaign named “undetectable equals untransmittable” (U=U, or Khong phathien=Khong lay truyen K=K in Vietnamese) was launched in Hanoi on October 22with the support of the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The U=U message is based on evidence which shows that HIV treatmentis highly effective in reducing the transmission of HIV. People living with HIVon antiretroviral (ARV) therapy who have an undetectable level of HIV in theirblood have a negligible risk of transmitting HIV sexually.
The campaign aims to raise the awareness of thepublic, people living with HIV and suppliers of HIV/AIDS prevention and controlservices about the message.
It encourages people living with HIV to access treatment services early,strictly follow treatment regiments and take regular tests for viral load,while easing discrimination against HIV/AIDS patients.
Speaking at the launching ceremony, Associate Prof. Nguyen Hoang Long, head ofthe Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control under the Health Ministry,said nearly 140,000 patients in Vietnam are under the ARV treatment, and theU=U campaign is hoped to expand the coverage of treatment.
The campaign will be implemented at the central level, and in 11 major citiesand provinces included in the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief(PEPFAR).
Through community-based events and social media activities, the campaign is expectedto integrate the U=U message in the ARV treatment, the official said, addingthat the message will be promoted in other localities within the NationalAction Month against HIV/AIDS and World AIDS Day.
Long expressed his hope that Vietnam will achieve the 90-90-95 goal (90 percent of all people living with HIV will knowtheir HIV status; 90 percent of all people with diagnosed HIV infection willreceive sustained ARV therapy; 95 percent of all people receiving ARV therapywill have viral suppression) and control the disease with the U=U message.
The campaign will last from October till December this year. The U=U message had been shared by 895organisations in 98 countries as of July 30, 2019, and had been translated into25 languages.
On September 6 this year, Vietnam was the firstamong beneficiary countries of PEPFAR to issue a document guidingnational-scale communication activities on the U=U message./.
Despite recent achievements in the fight against HIV/AIDS, negative public connotations surrounding the illness persist, making it hard to increase work in prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
The Vietnam Administration of HIV/AIDS Control (VAAC) under the Health Ministry, the US Embassy and several international organisations held a seminar in Hanoi on August 30 to discuss the private sector’s participation in Vietnam’s HIV/AIDS prevention and control programme.
Vietnam now boasts a nationwide healthcare network with 1,665 hospitals, 384 of which are non-public, supported by local commune- and ward-level stations. At the end of 2024, hospital bed capacity reached 34 per 10,000 people, slightly above the global average.
The 56-year-old patient from Quang Tri province was discharged in stable condition as he no longer experienced shortness of breath and was able to walk, move around, and eat normally.
Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Vu Trung, Director of the Pasteur Institute, said that under the MoU, the two sides committed to promoting diverse and practical collaborative activities, including joint conferences and workshops, exchanges of scholars, researchers and students, sharing academic materials, and the development of specific programmes and projects in scientific research, training, and epidemic prevention.
TytoCare, a leading Israeli telemedicine company based in Netanya, is willing to work with Vietnamese regulators, insurers, and healthcare providers to develop a sustainable digital health ecosystem.
The partnership is under the framework of a Memorandum of Understanding on the development and implementation of the National Action Plan on Breast Cancer and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control, signed in Hanoi on July 22.
An estimated 7 million Vietnamese are currently living with diabetes, but about 50% remain undiagnosed, a dangerous gap that is fuelling serious, preventable complications and increasing the burden on the healthcare system.
In 2024, Vietnam achieved 99% coverage for the first dose of the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccine, up from 80% in 2023. Immunisation coverage in the country has not only rebounded to the high levels seen before the COVID-19 pandemic but has now surpassed the rates recorded in 2019.
Health authorities in HCM City have issued an urgent alert after six people died from dengue fever, amid a spike in infections driven by the onset of the rainy season.
During the peak months of July and August 2025, the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT) needs at least 90,000 units of blood to supply 180 hospitals in the northern region. However, despite continuous efforts, the reserve blood is still short of 30,000 units.
The Hanoi ceremony highlighted efforts to ensure all citizens, especially women and youth, can access accurate information and healthcare services to make informed reproductive choices.
After such a long time, the law has revealed many limitations, prompting the Ministry of Health (MoH) to gather opinions to amend the law to give more chances to thousands of patients every year.
Currently, cardiovascular specialists from the 108 Military Central Hospital are working alongside a team of Prof.Dr. Jan D. Schmitto, Deputy Director of MHH’s Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery on clinical trials for MCS devices, implanted in heart failure patients either as a bridge to transplantation or as permanent treatment.
The centre not only serves residents living on the island, but also receives tens of thousands of visitors every year, according to Assoc Prof Dr Tang Chi Thuong, Director of the HCM CIty Department of Health.
Not only does Vietnam attract international tourists with its landscapes, culture, and cuisine, but it is also gradually becoming a reliable destination for medical treatment, offering high-quality services at reasonable costs.
Over the past six months, 150 communal health stations in provinces including Ha Giang, Bac Kan, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Yen Bai, Tay Ninh, Hau Giang, Ben Tre and Ca Mau have been equipped with information technology systems. In addition, 117 key provincial healthcare workers have received training, with thousands more expected to follow.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Ministry of Health swiftly launched a telemedicine programme, connecting more than 1,000 medical establishments nationwide. The model, which remains in operation, has benefited tens of thousands of patients, including foreign nationals.
After more than three weeks of intensive treatment, the patient's pneumonia improved, breathing stabilised, sedation was reduced, and the breathing tube was removed. He is now conscious, able to eat orally, and in recovery.
Illustrative image (Source: VNA) 
