Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Ha Noi, June 22 (VNA) -- A delegation of Viet Nam, headed by Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem, on June 22 left the country for a UN special session on HIV/AIDS to be held in New York.

The Vietnamese delegates are from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Health, Education and Training, and the Government Office.

They will join other senior officials, scientists, and representatives of social organisations from 160 countries and territories worldwide to discuss measures to gain control over the disease by 2015.

This goal was set by leaders from 160 countries at the UN Millennium Summit in September last year.

Viet Nam strives to control the spread of HIV/AIDS, slow down the process during which HIV can develop into full-blown AIDS, and minimize the disease's harmful affect on economic development.

To that end, the country will take great care to ensure safe blood transfusions, monitor 70 percent of HIV/AIDS carriers, boost education about the disease, and improve legal policies relating to HIV/AIDS and the fight against the disease.

HIV infection has recently increased even among low-risk groups, with almost all detected HIV carriers being under 30. Meanwhile, the number of prostitutes and prisoners contracting the disease is on the rise.

Viet Nam presently has more than 28,600 HIV carriers. It is warning that the country will have 200,000 people infected with HIV by 2005. Of them, more than 50,000 will develop AIDS and over 45,000 will die of the disease.--VNA