Vietnam Integrates Tuberculosis and HIV Services to Improve Service Quality and Reduce Costs

Speeches Shim

Thursday, November 30, 2017

Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading cause of ​death among people living with HIV and one of the reasons has been the lack of connection between the programs for detection, diagnosis, treatment and management of TB and HIV.  During 2015-16, the USAID Sustainable HIV Response From Technical Assistance activity collaborated with the USAID Challenge TB activity to pilot a “two-in-one” HIV/TB integrated clinical model that has reduced patient waiting times and staff requirements, maintained HIV/TB service quality, and has since been expanded to more than 30 provinces.  Vietnam’s Ministry of Health (MOH) reviewed the success of this pilot and on November 6, the MOH issued a formal decision to integrate HIV and TB services at the district and commune levels. So What? The MOH decision to integrate HIV and TB services will help enhance the quality of HIV and TB care and treatment while reducing program costs.