VIETNAM

Significant data regarding HIV prevalence in Vietnam has been gathered and is based primarily on HIV/AIDS case reporting and on the HIV Sentinel Surveillance (SS) conducted annually in 40 of Vietnam’s 64 provinces. The government now reports HIV cases in all provinces, 93% of all districts, and 49% of all communes; but many high prevalence provinces report cases in 100% of communes. Although Vietnam conducts HIV/AIDS case reporting, the general lack of HIV testing thus far suggests gross underestimating. HIV prevalence in the general population is estimated to be 0.66%. Despite this fairly low prevalence, SS data from 1996 through 2002 indicates a rapidly increasing and expanding HIV epidemic among intravenous drug users (IDUs). SS suggests HIV prevalence is also increasing, albeit more slowly, in commercial sex workers (CSWs) in several of the 30 provinces. HIV transmission from IDUs to their sex partners and from CSWs to their clients contributes to the spread of HIV into the general population.
(source: CDC GAP fact sheet)