AUGUST 2008 — The HIV epidemic in Ho Chi Minh City is spreading via female sex workers, men who have sex with men, injecting drugs users, and their partners, and could result in as many as 50,000 new infections by 2010. Through the Analysis and Advocacy (A2) Project, FHI/Vietnam and the Health Policy Initiative have assessed the current epidemic and in this report suggest new strategies for controlling the further spread of HIV in Ho Chi Minh City and beyond.

Two modeling tools were used to conduct the analysis leading to these recommendations: the Asian Epidemic Model, which was used to predict the spread of HIV in Ho Chi Minh City if nothing is changed, and the Goals Model, designed to link programs goals with the resources needed to meet them.

Using these models, the project found that the most cost-effective approach would be to devote resources to all of the target groups simultaneously, instead of addressing one group at a time. The A2 project also concluded that increased investment in interventions now would result in significant future savings, both in the cost of treatment and therapy programs, and in the number of new infections.

Summary report:  English (520 KB)
Translation Alert:  Vietnamese Full Report (2.2 MB)
                           Vietnamese Summary Report (650 KB)

Related materials:

The HIV Epidemic in Ho Chi Minh City: Where is it going? (2007)

The HIV epidemic in Ho Chi Minh City: Input Parameters for Baseline Scenario (PDF, 1.1 MB, 2007)

The HIV Epidemic in Ho Chi Minh City: What do we know? Synthesis Report of Existing Studies (PDF, 760 KB, 2007)

The A2 Project in Asia