Hanoi (VNA) – A national communicationcampaign named “undetectable equals untransmittable” (U=U, or Khong phathien=Khong lay truyen K=K in Vietnamese) was launched in Hanoi on October 22with the support of the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The U=U message is based on evidence which shows that HIV treatmentis highly effective in reducing the transmission of HIV. People living with HIVon antiretroviral (ARV) therapy who have an undetectable level of HIV in theirblood have a negligible risk of transmitting HIV sexually.

The campaign aims to raise the awareness of thepublic, people living with HIV and suppliers of HIV/AIDS prevention and controlservices about the message.

It encourages people living with HIV to access treatment services early,strictly follow treatment regiments and take regular tests for viral load,while easing discrimination against HIV/AIDS patients.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Associate Prof. Nguyen Hoang Long, head ofthe Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control under the Health Ministry,said nearly 140,000 patients in Vietnam are under the ARV treatment, and theU=U campaign is hoped to expand the coverage of treatment.

The campaign will be implemented at the central level, and in 11 major citiesand provinces included in the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief(PEPFAR).

Through community-based events and social media activities, the campaign is expectedto integrate the U=U message in the ARV treatment, the official said, addingthat the message will be promoted in other localities within the NationalAction Month against HIV/AIDS and World AIDS Day.

Long expressed his hope that Vietnam will achieve the 90-90-95 goal (90 percent of all people living with HIV will knowtheir HIV status; 90 percent of all people with diagnosed HIV infection willreceive sustained ARV therapy; 95 percent of all people receiving ARV therapywill have viral suppression) and control the disease with the U=U message.

The campaign will last from October till December this year.
The U=U message had been shared by 895organisations in 98 countries as of July 30, 2019, and had been translated into25 languages.

On September 6 this year, Vietnam was the firstamong beneficiary countries of PEPFAR to issue a document guidingnational-scale communication activities on the U=U message./.