In response to declining donor funds towards ARVs, Vietnam has committed to sustaining ARV procurement using its SHI Fund. In early October, with support from USAID’s Global Health Supply Chain - Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM) project, Vietnam’s Ministry of Health successfully bid for the first procurement of ARVs through SHI. The bid package, which is valued at approximately $5.9 million, will cover medication for 48,000 HIV/AIDS patients for an entire year - the number of HIV/AIDS patients estimated to be covered by SHI in 2019. The ARVs are expected to be available in January 2019. The bidding process also resulted in a 19 percent savings due to secured purchase prices now being both competitive and comparable to the price of drugs purchased by international donors.

So What? This SHI-funded ARV procurement demonstrates Vietnam’s strong commitment to undertake financial responsibility for its HIV/AIDS program. It represents a significant milestone in the Journey to Self-Reliance in the health sector.