Decision No. 34/2007/QĐ-BYT on approving the National Action Program to reduce harm in HIV prevention intervention for the period 2007-2010

Pursuant to …;

Regarding the approval of the National Action Program to reduce harm in HIV prevention during the period 2007-2010

hoạt động dự phòng lây nhiễm HIV giai đoạn 2007 - 2010

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THE MINISTER OF HEALTH

Pursuant to Decree No. 49/2003/NĐ-CP dated May 15, 2003 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Health;

Pursuant to Decree No. 108/2007/NĐ-CP dated June 26, 2007 of the Government detailing the implementation of certain provisions of the Law on Prevention and Control of Viral Infections Causing Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS);

Pursuant to Decision No. 36/2004/QĐ-TTg dated March 17, 2004 of the Prime Minister approving the National Strategy for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control in Vietnam until 2010 with a vision to 2020;

At the proposal of the Director of the Department of Legal Affairs; the Director of the National Center for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control under the Ministry of Health,

DECISION:

Article 1. Approves the National Action Program on Harm Reduction Interventions in HIV Prevention during the period 2007-2010 (attached) with the following main contents:

1. Objectives

a) General Objective: To control the rate of HIV infection in the drug injecting group below 20% and in the sex worker group below 3%, thereby reducing the rate of HIV transmission from high-risk groups to the general population, contributing to the successful implementation of the National Strategy for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control in Vietnam until 2010 with a vision to 2020.

b) Specific objectives by 2010:

- 100% of provinces and cities will establish networks of staff implementing the harm reduction intervention program.

- Increase the rate of condom use among sex workers to 90% and the rate of sex workers receiving examination and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases according to regulations to 80%.

- Increase the rate of clean syringe use among drug injectors to 90%, reduce the rate of shared syringes among drug injectors to less than 10% and among HIV-infected drug injectors to 5%, and ensure that 90% of used syringes are collected compared to the number distributed.

- Implement methadone maintenance therapy in at least ten provinces.

2. Implementation measures

a) Social measures:

- Legal and policy measures:

+ Continue to develop and perfect the system of regulatory legal documents related to harm reduction interventions in HIV prevention to ensure legal consistency between HIV/AIDS prevention and control and drug abuse, prostitution prevention, and control, and develop national guidelines on harm reduction interventions in HIV prevention.

- Measures to enhance inter-sectoral coordination and mobilize the community:

+ Mobilize local government leaders, departments, mass organizations, social organizations, religious organizations, enterprises, factories, entertainment venues, bus and train stations, hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, other accommodation services to support and participate in the program through organizing seminars, workshops to promote legal education on HIV/AIDS prevention and control, regular meetings, and sharing experiences between units directly implementing harm reduction interventions and relevant agencies, organizations, and units.

+ Enhance cooperation between police officers, labor, war invalids, and social affairs officers with health workers in implementing program activities.

+ Strengthen the role of families and communities in promoting and educating about safe practices to prevent HIV transmission.

+ Encourage and actively involve the target groups in planning and implementing the program.

+ Mobilize and cooperate with governmental and non-governmental organizations, international organizations to secure technical and financial support for program implementation.

- Measures to enhance information, education, communication, and policy advocacy:

+ Strengthen promotional and educational activities about the harm reduction program, intervention activities, and their benefits, and the roles of harm reduction interventions to raise awareness among officials at all levels and those working on social evil prevention and control in ministries, departments, and mass organizations to ensure coordinated and unified program implementation, creating community consensus on harm reduction interventions.

+ Strengthen outreach activities to high-risk groups on HIV transmission situations, harm reduction programs, and other support services being implemented, creating conditions for increased access to intervention services and behavior change towards safer practices.

+ Diversify communication methods, focusing on direct communication.

b) Technical measures:

- Ensure uniform and effective implementation of the program nationwide in accordance with legal regulations.

- Strengthen community outreach activities and expand peer education models in HIV prevention.

- Promote the distribution of syringes and condoms; social marketing to ensure that syringes and condoms are always available and accessible. Provide and encourage the use of lubricants for men who have sex with men.

- Gradually expand the Methadone Maintenance Therapy Program for opiate users.

- Pilot comprehensive prevention intervention programs in some provinces and cities, summarize lessons learned, and replicate successful models.

- Integrate harm reduction interventions with preventive and treatment activities.

- Regularly monitor and supervise to ensure the quality and effectiveness of harm reduction interventions.

- Conduct research on harm reduction interventions.

c) Measures to improve management capacity and strengthen resources:

- Improve the management and operational mechanisms of the program.

- Enhance the capacity of the network involved in harm reduction interventions.

- Perfect the data collection, reporting, and management system for harm reduction interventions.

- Strengthen inspection and supervision of activities under the harm reduction program at all levels.

- Mobilize domestic resources from central programs, localities, social organizations, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations to ensure funding for the harm reduction program.

Article 2. Implementation

1. Responsibilities of the Ministry of Health:

a) Take the lead in coordinating with relevant agencies and the People's Committee of the province to develop and implement long-term and annual plans for the implementation of the harm reduction program;

b) Develop and issue guidelines for implementing the harm reduction program within its authority or submit them to competent authorities for issuance, with particular emphasis on developing legal regulations concerning cooperation methods and policies related to harm reduction measures in HIV prevention;

c) Coordinate with the Ministry of Justice in reviewing legal regulations related to the harm reduction program to amend, supplement, or propose competent authorities to amend and supplement such regulations to align with reality;

d) Establish a technical support group for the harm reduction program comprising experts from the Ministries and sectors involved in HIV/AIDS prevention, such as the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Finance, and other relevant Ministries, agencies, and organizations;

đ) Take the lead and coordinate with relevant agencies to conduct inspections, monitoring, and compile reports on the implementation of the program;

e) Organize annual reviews, final evaluations at the end of each phase, report to the Government and relevant agencies; assess the effectiveness of the program in 2010, and based on that, develop plans for the 2011-2020 period;

g) Allocate and mobilize resources to achieve the program's objectives.

2. Responsibilities of the Ministry of Public Security:

a) Take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Health and relevant agencies in developing and implementing long-term and annual plans for the implementation of the harm reduction program within their assigned functions and tasks, and allocate appropriate resources to achieve the program's objectives;

b) Direct public security agencies at all levels to cooperate with health agencies and relevant ministries, sectors, and organizations at the same level in organizing and implementing the harm reduction program;

c) Implement harm reduction measures to prevent HIV transmission within their assigned functions and tasks.

3. Responsibilities of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs:

a) Take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Health and relevant agencies in developing and implementing long-term and annual plans for the implementation of the harm reduction program within their assigned functions and tasks, and allocate appropriate resources to achieve the program's objectives;

b) Direct labor, invalids, and social affairs agencies at all levels to cooperate with health agencies and relevant ministries, sectors, and organizations at the same level in organizing and implementing the harm reduction program;

c) Implement harm reduction measures to prevent HIV transmission within their assigned functions and tasks.

4. Responsibilities of other ministries and sectors that are members of the National Committee for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control and Drug and Prostitution Prevention:

a) Take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Health and relevant agencies in developing and implementing long-term and annual plans for the implementation of the harm reduction program within their assigned functions and tasks, and allocate appropriate resources to achieve the program's objectives;

b) Direct units under their management to cooperate with health agencies and relevant ministries, sectors, and organizations at the same level in organizing and implementing the harm reduction program.

5. Responsibilities of the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-administered cities:

a) Direct the development and implementation of long-term and annual plans for harm reduction within their jurisdiction and allocate appropriate resources to achieve the program's objectives;

b) Mobilize the entire population to support and participate in harm reduction activities aimed at preventing HIV transmission;

c) Direct the implementation, monitor, and report periodically annually to the Ministry of Health and relevant agencies.

6. Responsibilities of the Health Departments of provinces and centrally-administered cities:

a) Advise the provincial People's Committee on the development of long-term and annual action plans for harm reduction;

b) Coordinate with relevant departments and agencies to guide units in implementing harm reduction activities, supervise, inspect, and evaluate the implementation of the harm reduction program at the local level;

c) Direct specialized agencies under their management to organize and implement the harm reduction program.

7. Responsibilities of the lead agencies for HIV/AIDS prevention in provinces and centrally-administered cities:

a) Develop long-term and short-term plans for implementing the harm reduction program at the local level.

b) Serve as the focal point for coordinating with relevant departments, sectors, and organizations in the province to direct and organize the implementation of harm reduction activities in HIV prevention, including the following activities: - Implementing harm reduction activities. - Organizing campaigns, conferences, and seminars to mobilize support from all levels of government, departments, sectors, communities, organizations, and individuals to participate in harm reduction activities. - Participating in organizing training and capacity building.

c) Coordinate with relevant agencies to organize inspections and evaluations of the program's implementation at the provincial level.

Article 3. The Standard Measurement Quality Control Department shall be responsible for organizing and guiding the implementation of the Regulations adopted herein.

Article 4. The Heads of the Office, Directors of the Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Vietnam, Heads of Legal Departments, Heads of Units under the Ministry, Directors of Health Departments of provinces and centrally-administered cities, Heads of Health Sectors and relevant units are responsible for implementing this decision./.