Mr Thompson spoke at a forum in Hanoi on January 9 during the Vietnam visit by a senior mission of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies task force on HIV/AIDS.

"It is time that we have a victory over this insidious disease, and I believe that Vietnam can give us that victory if we all work as hard as we possibly can,” Mr Thompson said. “The international community is waiting to see if we can actually win the battle against HIV/AIDS, and I believe if we do our part, we can make sure that Vietnam could become the first country that is free of this insidious disease.”

Mr Thompson also called upon NGOs and international communities to further help Vietnam in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Addressing the function, Dao Duy Quat, Vice Chairman of the Central Commission for Ideology and Culture, highlighted achievements made by the Vietnamese government and people in the fight against HIV/AIDS since the first case was diagnosed in Vietnam 15 years ago, and affirmed the determination of the Vietnamese government and people to fight this pandemic.

On this occasion, Mr Quat thanked the international community, particularly the US government, for their assistance in HIV/AIDS prevention in Vietnam