As new laws on HIV/AIDS prevention will come into effect in January, Vietnam held a conference Friday in Dalat with a group conducting anti-AIDS work in Vietnam, Internews Europe, to discuss anti-AIDS advocacy.

Vo Hong Nhan, Vice chairman of the Party’s Ideology, Culture Commission said during a conference that Vietnam has an extremely high HIV/AIDS-infection rate, with 108,000 people currently infected and 11,000 deaths caused by the disease in the country so far.

Nhan called for a unified effort on all governmental and societal fronts to combat the disease.

“The epidemic has a direct negative impact on the development of economy, culture and the society security,” he warned while stressing the importance of the press in preventing the disease.

Professor Chung A, who has spent years on HIV/AIDS prevention, also shared the view and said that regular advocacy and consultations are needed to help prevent and treat HIV infection.

Speaking at the conference, Chu Quoc An, Deputy Director of the HIV/AIDS Prevention Bureau, said Vietnam is the third in the South East Asia to have new AIDS laws.

“The world also hails Vietnam’s new law” said An, citing positives comments from US’ officials during Minister of Health Tran Thi Trung Chien’s visit.

Lydal Barry, Director of an Internews Europe HIV/AIDS survey project in the Mekong Delta, also lauded Vietnam’s model as exemplary one.

Reported by Vo Khoi, Thanh Tung – Translated by Thanh Tuan