HIV/AIDS Treatment Policy in Vietnam, 1995–2024: From Epidemic Control to Chronic Disease Management

Abstract

Abstract: This article analyzes the transformation of HIV/AIDS management policy in Vietnam over the period 1995–2024, focusing on the relationship between the expansion of antiretroviral treatment, declining mortality, and the stability of HIV prevalence. Drawing on an analysis of policy documents, reports from international organizations, and relevant academic studies, the article argues that a stable or slowly declining prevalence rate should not be mechanically read as a sign of ineffective epidemic control. As ART coverage expands, people living with HIV live longer and remain present within the population; prevalence therefore simultaneously reflects new infections, mortality, and survival sustained by treatment. The article clarifies how Vietnam’s HIV/AIDS policy has shifted from responding to a dangerous infectious disease toward managing a chronic health condition, while highlighting new challenges concerning health insurance, information confidentiality, treatment retention, and stigma reduction. On this basis, the article proposes that HIV/AIDS policy be evaluated using a broader set of indicators, including new infections, mortality, treatment coverage, treatment retention, health financing, and the quality of life of people living with HIV.

Keywords: HIV/AIDS, ART, HIV prevalence, health policy, chronic disease management, Vietnam.