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Success in access to ART treatment for IDUs through PLHA network and community participation, Vietnam
N.T. Hang, C. Thangsing
AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Vietnam Cares, Hanoi, Viet Nam
Issues: Over 70 per cent of people living with HIVAIDS in Vietnam are from the injecting drug users’ community (IDUs). The most crucial challenge amongst IDUs on ART treatment and care is adherence, lost to follow up and increasing drug resistance.
Description: AHF operated ART clinic in Thuy Nguyen established a comprehensive network model supporting PLHA and other marginalized communities including IDUs. The network gets involvement of self-help groups of PLHA, community health care workers, empathy clubs, local and INGO who are implementing projects in the area. Many of the patients accessing treatment services at the clinic are IDUs. The Clinic create linkages with the network of PLHA and provide services such as home visits, treatment adherence, ARV information, HIVAIDS education, drug use. They also create community awareness on HIVAIDS/Drugs use to reduce to reduce stigma and discrimination and provide buddy support. The supporting network receives feedbacks from patients about the services of the clinic. Within a span of 10 months the network referred 100 patients and supported both ART and OI treatment.
Lessons learned: Through support of PLHA network marginalized groups such as IDUs have easy access to ART treatment and care services and successful treatment program. This model helps reduce rate of lost to follow up and ART treatment failure.
Next steps: Initiate the model of PLHA network involving marginalized groups like IDUs, creating supportive environment and involving groups such as Women’s Union, Youth Union and family members to provide this key factor for treatment success especially IDUs.
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