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More Vietnamese Men Get HIV From Prostitutes

Posted on: Tuesday, 6 September 2005, 09:01 CDT

More Vietnamese men get HIV from prostitutes

HANOI, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam is estimated to have some 58, 000 HIV carriers, who get the virus after having sex with infected prostitutes, by the end of this year, up from 25,000 in late 2000.

The number of local sex buyers being infected with HIV tends to increase most in big cities and tourism centers like Hanoi capital, southern Ho Chi Minh City, northern Hai Phong city and northern Quang Ninh province, according to the country's Health Ministry on Tuesday.

Vietnam will annually see addition of around 40,000 HIV carriers in the 2005-2010 period, the ministry predicted, noting that the country is estimated to have a total of 218,000-308,000 HIV carriers by late this year.

As of March 31, Vietnam had diagnosed more than 93,000 HIV carriers, of whom 14,913 developed full-blown AIDS, including 8, 768 fatalities. The actual number of infections may be higher.

Over 60 percent of the HIV carriers were drug addicts and prostitutes. The country now has file records on about 13,000 prostitutes.

Vietnam has targeted to reduce the HIV/AIDS infection rate among its 82-million population to below 0.3 percent by 2010, and keep it unchanged after 2020.

To this end, the country has intensified publicity about HIV/ AIDS with contents expanding into areas of virtues, lifestyle and behavior. Included are encouraging youths to use "ABC" preventive approach (Abstinence, Being faithful and Condom use) and keeping away from such evils as drug addiction and prostitution.

Source: Xinhua News Agency - CEIS

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