 | | Drug users accounted for about 600 out of the 872 new patients infected with HIV/AIDS so far this year, according to the Ha Noi Committee on AIDS, Drugs, and Prostitution Control. This number represents a slight 17 per cent decrease among newly-infected HIV/AIDS patients compared to the same period last year. The remaining new cases reported so far this year were contracted through sex workers or other means. The committee warned that a high risk remains for more HIV/AIDS cases in the future because the virus is highly infectious and could be passed on between drug users who share needles. More than 22,000 drug addicts have been reported in Ha Noi, with 350 newly admitted cases in the time period. As part of the fight against HIV/AIDS, approximately 1600 of the capital’s registered drug addicts were sent to rehabilitation centres in the first six months of this year, bringing the total number of drug users subject to compulsory rehabilitation to 6,400. Meanwhile, prostitution is still a rampant problem. As of June 30, police have arrested 283 prostitutes and sent them to the Loc Ha Centre and the Social Labour Education Centre 2 for rehabilitation and job skills training. For the next six months, responsible agencies will carry out HIV/AIDS prevention action plans which will include communication programmes and peer-based harm reduction intervention activities. A new hotline will be launched for HIV/AIDS/STI consultation. Callers may dial 1088 to reach the hotline. Meanwhile, police will continue fighting drug abuse. So far 1,293 out of the 2,200 targeted cases have been investigated as directed by the People’s Committee. VietNamNet/VNS |