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ADB and Viet Nam Sign Grant to Prevent HIV/AIDS among Viet Nam's Youth

HANOI, VIET NAM (24 July 2006) - ADB and the Government of Viet Nam signed an agreement today for a grant of $20 million to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS among the youth of Viet Nam.

At the State Bank of Viet Nam, the Governor of State Bank of Viet Nam, Le Duc Thuy signed the agreement on behalf of the Government. Signing on behalf of the Asian Development Bank was Ayumi Konishi, ADB's Country Director for Viet Nam. Other senior officials from concerned government agencies witnessed the signing.

The HIV/AIDS Prevention among Youth Project will support Government efforts in addressing the spread of the disease through an integrated plan involving mass media and community campaigns complemented by a comprehensive program of activities and services to bring about widespread behavior change among youth.

While Viet Nam has made significant progress toward achieving most of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the prospect of achieving MDG 6 concerning HIV/AIDS remains elusive, as the number of new infections grows annually and there is little sign of abatement.

Therefore, curbing the growth in the HIV/AIDS epidemic and mitigating the impact on individuals, families, communities, and society - including the economic costs - has been given high priority by the Government.

From fewer than 4,000 reported cases in 1995, the number of HIV/AIDS cases officially reported had risen to more than 104,000 by March 2006. However the actual number could be three times this figure. The main routes for infection are through high-risk behaviors - predominantly injecting drug use (accounting for 57% of cases) and among sex workers and the young men that are their clients, through whom the disease potentially makes its way to the general population.

With young people accounting for about one fifth of Viet Nam's population, the proportion of HIV infections in the 15-24 age group has been rising steadily, from about 10% of newly reported cases in 1994 to 40% in recent years.

"The project will assist the Government in conducting a focused campaign to influence behavior that will boost access and use of condoms and knowledge of HIV/AIDS among youth, and fight dangerous practices such as needle sharing among drug users," says Mr. Konishi.

The program campaign will be conducted through TV, radio, and print media, including production of a TV drama series over three years, and will harness the people that influence youth, including popular entertainment and sports personalities.

The project will also support nongovernment organizations (NGOs) in 15 provinces in undertaking a related program of province-based, youth-focused activities, including community-based advocacy, peer education, life skills training, and improved access to harm reduction services.

Consistent with Viet Nam's national HIV/AIDS strategy, the project will provide leadership and strategy support to officials from community to national level to improve the policy environment for a youth focus in AIDS strategies.

The project will be undertaken nationally as well as in 15 specific provinces over five years to around mid-2011. Its total cost is about $26.7 million of which the Government is funding $6.7 million. ADB's grant comes from its Asian Development Fund, representing three quarters of the project cost. The Viet Nam Commission for Population, Family and Children is the executing agency.

The Asian Development Bank is dedicated to reducing poverty in the Asia and Pacific region through pro-poor sustainable economic growth, social development, and good governance. Established in 1966, it is owned by 65 members - 47 from the region. In 2005, it approved loans and grants for projects totaling $6.95 billion, and technical assistance amounting to $198.8 million.

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