Starting in 2018, USAID (through PEPFAR) focused its support in Vietnam to two geographic regions: Northern Economic Zone and the Ho Chi Minh City Metro area. Dong Nai,Tay Ninh, and Tien Giang provinces were added to the list of target provinces in the Ho Chi Minh City Metro area. On October 9, USAID’s Healthy Markets project worked with Dong Nai health officials to launch USAID-supported HIV services for the first time in the province. These services include community-based HIV testing and partner testing, which works with newly diagnosed HIV-positive individuals to contact their at-risk partners and family members, and could also lead to them being tested for HIV. Community-based testing and partner testing are part of an essential strategy that aims to reach 11,000 people and eventually attain HIV epidemic control.

So What? USAID is helping address Vietnam’s HIV epidemic by rapidly scaling proven approaches in new geographic areas. This will also help the country achieve its 90-90-90 goals (90-90-90 is a treatment target by UNAIDS that by 2020, 90 percent of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status; 90 percent of all people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy; and 90 percent of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression).