Viet Nam’s AIDS Healthcare More Sincere than US

Photo by UNESCAP

(Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam) During the week of August 23, 2005, local health officials in Ho Chi Minh City announced through The Saigon Times Daily that people with AIDS and HIV will have access to a confidentiality card.

This card, created by decision by the HCMC People’s Committee, will allow PWA/HIV with free medical care and prevention services. Because of Viet Nam’s economically developing status, only anti-retroviral drugs will be available free of charge to AIDS patients in serious need.

Free Medical Care With Confidentiality Card

This move is to address the estimated 40,000 to 50,000 HIV patients, of which approximately 10,000 are in need of urgent care. HCMC Committee for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Deputy, Le Truong Giang, announced that the cards will be available at the City’s 28 support centers. The cards will bear only a code and will not contain any other patient information.

To apply for the confidential card, individuals need to provided current demographic information, proof of AIDS diagnosis or HIV-positive status and certify they have not applied for a card at any other location. Many PWA are homeless or have drug addictions. HCMC is the first city in Viet Nam to issue cards to HIV/AIDS patients.

Viet Nam Steps Forward--US Steps Backward

While efforts to treat AIDS/HIV in Viet Nam are increasing, the United States and California are making efforts to take steps backwards. Republican California legislators have presented legislation to remove patient confidentiality and reductions in AIDS/HIV program and healthcare funding due to outdated allocation formulas which are based on estimates that undercount PWAs have been proposed in Congress.

Funding for disease prevention and education, housing, and the closing of publicly-funded care facilities has placed an onerous burden on those living with HIV/AIDS and those who tend to their needs.

In 2004, the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors decided to close its General Hospital, despite warnings from the healthcare community that the indigent, working poor and underserved population would lose access to their only means of healthcare. There has been seen a significant decrease in physicians and dentists who accept Medi-Cal (US Medicaid) as a payer for services to the indigent disabled community.

Central Coast Health Priorities

In a region that has seen an increase in tourism, wine-grape production and especially in highly inflated land values, political emphasis has been on catering to the elite and discounting the value of life for the less-fortunate.

Viet Nam recognizes the value of all its citizens and tries to focus attention on healthcare. Even at a time of severe constraints and with rising world oil prices, Viet Nam continues to build new general hospitals in the more impoverished districts. Focusing the health care need of her people, Viet Nam is requesting assistance from international sources to help develop medical technology and provide it at a reasonable price.

US Highest In World Economic Ranking--Viet Nam Ranks 56th

The United States is the highest ranked economy in the World. California is usually ranked 6th. Viet Nam, a country that never saw the $4 billion in war reparations as promised by then President Nixon, is ranked 56th in the world (World Development Indicators database, World Bank, 15 July 2005).

It would be expected that a country like the US which has the richest economy would have more than enough to take care of its own and reach out to help others. Not so true. The US and California have been slicing social service benefits since the Bush Administration came to power and Governor Schwarzenegger has been Bush’s conservative ally in promoting social service decreases in California.

People in the US should be outraged. There should have been huge, unprecedented marches and demonstrations in Sacramento and Washington DC to protest these cuts, and in some cases, complete abandonment of other services. The question should be raised, "Why didn’t the people care?" The people and political leadership in Viet Nam care.
--Thomas Hutchings