Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Ha Noi, Oct. 23 (VNA) -- The U.S. has pledged USD 10 million to the second phase of a project on HIV/AIDS prevention and care in Viet Nam.

A document to this effect was signed in Ha Noi on Oct. 23 by President of the National AIDS Committee and Deputy Minister of Health Tran Chi Liem, and Deputy Chief of the U.S. million in Viet Nam Robert Poter.

The second phase of the project will be implemented over the next five years and will focus on promoting preventive measures and providing better care to those who have already contracted HIV/AIDS.

Priorities will be given to consultancy and testing services as well as programmes dealing with peer education, preventing the spread of HIV from mothers to babies, caring for AIDS patients, and protecting medical workers from the disease.

All sexually-transmitted diseases (STD)'s patients and HIV carriers with tuberculosis will also benefit from the project.

The first phase was carried out in 1999 and 2000 to improve the technical expertise of the staff involved in AIDS prevention. The first phase also involved research on HIV/AIDS epidemiological surveillance and preventive measures.

Under the first phase, more than 400 medical workers nationwide passed courses on HIV/AIDS epidemiological surveillance and preventive measures. More than 10 research programmes on the HIV monitoring systems were also implemented in a number of localities and on technical and financial assistance.--VNA