A bilateral conference on cross-border HIV/AIDS prevention in Vietnam and Laos took place in Hanoi on September 30.

The event’s objective was to address the difficulties and challengesin HIV/AIDS prevention and control in the two countries’ borderinglocalities; to review the implementation of signed memoranda ofunderstanding and agreements in this field; and to discuss an actionplan for the near future.

Speaking at theconference, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long saidthe increase in transnational activities in the Vietnamese-Lao borderarea, including drug trafficking, trade and labour migration, wasincreasing the risk of HIV/AIDS infections for those living and workingthere.

There is therefore a need to develop acoordination mechanism for the two countries, such as detailedcooperation plans at the national and provincial level.

The two sides were urged to speed up the exchange of information onthe situation of HIV/AIDS in each country and identify factors behindthe increased rates of HIV infections in border areas.

During the conference, the HIV/AIDS Prevention Department under theVietnamese Ministry of Health and the Lao Ministry of Health’s Centrefor HIV/AIDS and STI Prevention and Control signed a memorandum ofunderstanding on the basic principles for bilateral cooperation tominimise the impact of HIV/AIDS and increase access to preventivehealthcare and treatment in their border areas.-VNA