Over the past two decades, the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Vietnam has achieved remarkable results and Vietnam is among the countries with the lowest rate of new HIV/AIDS infections in the region.

Vietnam has created policies and a legal environment for extending and improving the quality of prevention, support and treatment for people living with the disease.

However, controlling the disease remains very complicated and the decrease in the number of newly infected people is not sustainable.

Over 10,000 people each year test positive for the deadly virus in Vietnam. The increase in cases of sexual transmission has resulted in the growing number of HIV infections in women and children and HIV/AIDS patients still suffer serious discrimination.

Speaking at the Action Month launching, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc praised the efforts made by ministries, departments and localities and urged them to raise public awareness about the epidemic.

Mr Phuc asked local authorities to encourage people to join the campaign for preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS.

The Health Ministry should also improve the quality of treatment for people infected with the disease and actively contribute to reducing the number of new infections.