Strengthening coordination for the implementation of the GF to fight HIV/AIDS project for the period of 2024 - 2026

 Overview of the Workshop

The workshop was chaired by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Ngoc Linh, Vice President of VUSTA and Director of the VUSTA Project under the Global fund to fight HIV/AIDS project; MSc. Nguyen Quyet Chien, Secretary-General of VUSTA; and Dr. Pham Nguyen Ha, Deputy Technical Director of the VUSTA Project Management Board - Global fund to fight HIV/AIDS project.

Attendees including Mr. Nguyen Anh Phong, Vice Chairman of the Viet Nam Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund or GFATM); nearly 50 delegates from the Centers for Disease Control, provincial unions of science and technology associations, and community-based organizations from seven southern provinces: An Giang, Dong Thap, Soc Trang, Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Vung Tau, and Khanh Hoa. Also in attendance were representatives from project implementation units in the seven southern provinces, including the Centre for Promotion of Quality of Life (LIFE).

Assoc.Prof.Dr. Pham Ngoc Linh - Vice President of VUSTA and PMU’s Director, delivered a speech at the workshop.

At the workshop, delegates focused on exchanging and discussing key topics, including sharing information about the 2024-2026 project phase with the seven southern project provinces, and enhancing coordination with partners in the implementation of the Global fund to fight HIV/AIDS project for the 2024-2026 period.

With the aim of strengthening collaboration with local partners, the workshop featured insights from representatives of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) from the seven provinces, which serve as the professional advisory bodies. They shared their thoughts on cooperation methods between both sides and proposed measures to boost project activity implementation. In addition, a crucial project focal point is the Union of Associations in the seven project provinces. The workshop also received valuable contributions from representatives of community organizations in these southern provinces where the project is being carried out.

The 2024-2026 Phase of the VUSTA - Global fund to fight HIV/AIDS project builds upon the 2021-2023 phase but includes adjustments to align with the national strategy to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. Accordingly, the project will provide HIV/AIDS prevention services to high-risk groups, including people who inject drugs (PWID), female sex workers (FSW), men who have sex with men (MSM), and transgender women (TGW). Additionally, it aims to strengthen the community response to HIV/AIDS and improve access to healthcare services.

With the role and success of the VUSTA - Global fund to fight HIV/AIDS project since 2011, especially during the 2015-2023 peroid when VUSTA became the Principal Recipient (PR) of Global Fund support, it has been highly praised by the Ministry of Health, the Vietnam Administration of HIV/AIDS Control (VAAC), central and local agencies, as well as the international donor community.

The effective participation and contributions of social and community organizations involved in the project over the years have been acknowledged in national reports on HIV/AIDS prevention and control. In prevention activities, these organizations have reached out to communities, advocated for funding for HIV testing, and facilitated access to care and treatment services. They have also provided valuable input in the development of related legal documents, such as the amended Law on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control, the National Programs of 2004 and 2012, the Law on Administrative Violations, the revised Health Insurance Law, the Law on Legal Aid, the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment, and the amended Law on Drug Prevention and Control in 2021, among others. In multi-sectoral coordination, these organizations have closely connected with government agencies from central to local levels to improve the quality of prevention services, harm reduction, home-based care, and livelihood support.