Statements and Webcast
Viet Nam
H.E. Mr. Truong Vinh Trong, Deputy Prime Minister
8 June 2011
- Statement: English (Check against delivery)
Statement Summary
TRUONG VINH TRONG, Deputy Prime Minister of Viet Nam, said his country had achieved many of the Millennium Development Goals ahead of schedule, including those on poverty reduction, universal education, gender equality, and improving maternal and child health. Those living with HIV/AIDS accounted for about 0.26 per cent of Viet Nam’s population. The prevalence of infection from injected drug users had declined, as had the number of HIV/AIDS-related deaths. Frequent awareness campaigns and legal measures undertaken over the past twenty years had increased the participation of the population and social organizations. The National Committee for HIV/AIDS, Drugs and Prostitution Prevention and Control, founded over ten years ago, had effectively strengthened efforts to prevent and combat the disease.
However, Viet Nam remained a poor county facing numerous difficulties, and these initial gains remained fragile. Resources would be prioritized to implement national targets on HIV/AIDS prevention, care, treatment, and support, and the new United Nations initiative on zero new infections, zero discrimination, and zero AIDS-related death. That major threat to global sustainable development could only be averted by joint efforts and shared responsibility by each and every member of the international community. Necessary resources must be secured to develop national and international AIDS responses, emphasis must be placed on prevention measures, and those living with HIV/AIDS must be given better access to health-care services, particularly antiretroviral treatments and methadone.
Source: GA/11086