Social Health Insurance (SHI) is an important resource for PLHIV in Vietnam to meet their HIV treatment needs as the country transitions from donor-funded to locally-supported HIV activities. However, some PLHIV are unable to make copayments for antiretroviral (ARV) treatment as required in the SHI system. It is critical for provinces to mobilize their own local resources to subsidize these co-payments. Even though Hanoi had allocated sufficient funds to subsidize the cost of copayments for HIV patients, there was no clarity on how these funds would be disbursed. To help address this issue, the USAID Sustainable Financing for HIV project facilitated dialogues to reach a consensus among key government agencies about their respective subsidy implementation roles.  As a result, on October 28, Hanoi Social Security issued an Official Dispatch that clearly defines how the copayment subsidy should be implemented.

So What? The multi-agency consensus on implementation of ARV co-payment subsidies for PLHIV will ensure social health insurance fund sustainability, thereby eliminating the financial barrier of out-of-pocket costs for SHI copayments. It also takes Vietnam one step further in its journey to self-reliance in the health sector.