Over 83,400 HIV carriers, by August 2004, were detected in 93 percent of districts of Vietnam, according to local newspaper Youth on Wednesday.

Of the cases, 13,124 developed into AIDS, 7,455 people died of the disease, and 56 percent were drug addicts. Localities with most HIV carriers included the northern provinces of Quang Ninh, Hai Phong and Lang Son, the southern provinces of Ba Ria Vung Tau and An Giang, the capital of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

To curb the epidemic, the country is spending more money on buying and producing drugs, and disseminating preventive measures to people in general and high-risk groups such as drug addicts and prostitutes in particular.

Vietnam has allocated 80 billion Vietnamese dong (VND) (5.1 million US dollars) for HIV/AIDS prevention programs this year, ofwhich 10 billion VND (637,000 dollars) is to be spent on buying medicines.

The country plans to reduce the HIV/AIDS infection rate among its 81-million population to below 0.3 percent by 2010, and keep the rate unchanged after 2020.

Source: Xinhua