HCM City (VNS/VNA) - MissUniverse Vietnam H’Hen Nie has called for reducing stigma and discriminationagainst HIV patients at the Miss Universe 2018 contest that is now being heldin Bangkok, Thailand.

H’Hen Nie is participating in theUnited Nations’ Global Campaign on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) as part of the effort tocreate “a red ribbon wave” at this year’s beauty pageant. 

By wearing a red ribbon on herarms during the beauty event, which ends on December 17, H’Hen Nie is showingher support to the campaign.

“With support from theinternational community at the Miss Universe contest this year, I do believe ina more civilised attitude for the future of the community of HIV/AIDSpatients,” she told Vietnam News.

The campaign, which marks the30th anniversary of World AIDS Day (December 1), aims to protect patients andstop the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Since being crowned Miss UniverseVietnam last year, H’Hen Nie, who is from the E De ethnic group of the CentralHighlands province of Dak Lak, has taken part in many social activities,especially those related to HIV/AIDS.

H’Hen Nie has also been involvedin the U=U campaign (undetectable=untransmittable) funded by the USPresident’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

The U=U statement has beenrecognised or endorsed by more than 782 medical and community-basedorganisations in more than 95 countries. 

The statement builds onevidence-based research demonstrating that HIV treatment is highly effective inreducing HIV transmission and that people living with HIV on ARV (antiretroviral)treatment with an undetectable viral load have effectively no risk of sexualtransmission.

Vietnam has consistently shownstrong leadership in responding to HIV in the world and the region. 

In recent years, Vietnam hasenhanced screening and testing for high-risk people to achieve the UN’s90-90-90 goals in HIV prevention and control by 2020. 

Under the goals, by 2020, 90 percentof all people living with HIV will know their HIV status. Ninety percent ofpeople with a diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained ARV therapy, while90 percent of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viralsuppression. 

The number of HIV/AIDS cases in Vietnamcontinued to be under control this year, with a reduction in new incidences ofHIV/AIDS and mortality from AIDS, according to the Ministry of Health. 

Speaking at a recent meeting torespond to World AIDS Day, Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien said morethan 8,000 new HIV cases were detected every year in Vietnam.

“The country still has nearly50,000 people with HIV who do not know their status. These are challenges whichwe still face,” she said.

The rate of HIV infection amongusers who inject drugs, especially among youth, has seen an upward trend,according to the ministry. 

Stigma and discriminationcontinue to be a major barrier for people living with HIV to access HIVservices in the country.-VNS/VNA