In Vietnam, stigma and discrimination remains a major barrier to HIV testing and treatment. In response, Vietnam’s Ministry of Health issued a directive at the end of last year to reduce stigma and discrimination in clinical settings. On July 4-6, USAID’s Sustainable HIV Response from Technical Assistance (SHIFT) project, the Department of Health of Dong Nai Province, and the Vietnam Administration for HIV/AIDS Control trained health professionals in the province to enable them implement this directive and understand the impact of their attitudes and behaviors on access to HIV services and patient retention. This will help health workers treat key populations with dignity and respect, including protecting the confidentiality of people at risk of HIV and persons living with HIV, both in health settings and in their communities.

So What? Reducing subtle barriers to testing and treatment will help close the remaining gap in reaching Vietnam’s 90-90-90 targets (where by 2020, 90% of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status; 90% of all people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy; and 90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression) and ensure a sustainable HIV response.