AHF Vietnam Cares opens its fourth ART Clinic in Thai Binh
“The tears kept on coming and my life is nearing its end but today I cried and shed tears of happiness and I offer a thousand thank you to AHF for this priceless gift in the form of this Clinic for PLHAs in Thai Binh. Our tears of sorrow is now replace with tears of joy and hope.” Nguyen Thih Mai [The Hope Group/PLHA Representative Thai Binh]
By: AIDS Healthcare Foundation
Thai Binh, Vietnam - June 24, 2009
AHF Vietnam Cares in collaboration with VAAC and the Thai Binh provincial Health department and the Thai Binh Provincial AIDS Control Centre open the 4th ART Clinic in Dong Hung District Hospital in Thai Binh. Professor Bui Duc Duong, Vice Director of VAAC - Administration of AIDS Control, Dr. Nguyen Trong Binh, Director of Thai Binh Provincial Health department, Dr. Do Huy Giang, Director of Provincial AIDS Control Center, The Women Union, The People Committee, The PLHA Network, Members of IEC Center, The Front Fatherland members of Thai Binh, Officials from the Provincial Health Department, Preventive Medicine Center of the Provinces, The Social welfare Department and other well wishers and members of the PLHA Hope group were present to witness the opening of the ART Center. The AHF Team – Dr Chinkholal Thangsing, Asia Pacific Bureau Chief, Dr Nguyen Thi Thu Hang, Country Program Coordinator AHF Vietnam Cares, Dr. Tran Duc Duong, Program Officer and Ms Nguyet Anh Tran, Logistics Coordinator were present.
Thai Binh with a population of 1,934,000 and has over 3120 HIV infected people according to the Provincial AIDS Control Center the number of reported case is rapid increasing. The main mode of transmission is through injecting drug use, heterosexual route and commercial sex workers and migrant laborers are highly infected. The need for anti-retroviral drug treatment is increasing rapidly and the AHF Vietnam Cares and VAAC Collaborative ART project has come not a moment too soon. People living with HIV and needing HIV treatment, care and support has suffered excruciating hardship, stigma and discrimination.
“We are very grateful to AHF Vietnam Cares and VAAC for brining the HIV treatment services to the people of Thai Binh. We on behalf of the Local Authority commit and promised to extend the best of our efforts to assist the successful implementation of this life saving project. We are also committed to bring increase awareness to help combat and reduce stigma and discrimination and control the epidemic in our Province” said Dr. Nguyen Trong Binh.
“The inauguration of this ART Center is the evidence of a highly successful collaboration between VAAC and AHF and PAC of Thai Binh, from now on the PLHAs will have access it easily and avoid many hardships and difficulties and trying to find help and assistance to the fight the disease. VAAC is committed to support AHF initiatives and recommend and request to expand its reach to many more sites” said Professor Bui Duc Duong. “We are proud to partner with AHF in our fight against the epidemic of HIV in Vietnam.” he added.
“We stand firmly committed to support the efforts of the People of Vietnam to provide life saving ART services, the prevention of HIV infections. We are humbled by the warm hospitality and kind gesture of the people of Thai Binh. We will continue to be present to assist you and VAAC as long as we are needed”. Michael Weinstein, President , AHF, Los Angeles, USA.
“We are extremely happy to be here to bring HIV treatment services for the people of Thai Binh. We are deeply touched by the plight of PLHAs and our collaborative efforts with VAAC, I am sure will make a big difference in the lives of people living with HIVAIDS and bring healing and hope. We need to work together to make this program a success and to reduce stigma and discrimination from Thai Binh.” said Dr. Chinkholal Thangsing, Asia Pacific Bureau Chief, AIDS Healthcare Foundation.
Ms Nguyen Thih Mai the PLHA representative for Thai Binh Self Help group with tears in her said “I am afflicted the dreaded virus but I strive everyday to beat the disease and overcome sadness and depression. I still have my dreams of a happy life with my loved ones wish to contribute and dedicate my life for better understanding of HIVAIDS and work for the welfare of the society as long as I live.”
AHF Vietnam Cares will provide technical and financial support of the healthcare services providers’ continuing education and training programs, ART treatment, care and support services, peer education and outreach activities. VAAC will provide National treatment guidelines, technical support and ARV drugs for the Collaborative Project at Thai Binh. The project targets to provide life saving ART, HIV care services to over 300 patients by December 2009.
