UNAIDS HIV Drug Access Initiative: Providing Wider Access to HIV-related Drugs in Developing Countries, Pilot Phase

Non-Profit Company

As in Uganda, a non-profit company, "Medical Access Cote d'lvoire," has
been established, with one full-time manager who sits on the advisory board.
Viet Nam
The Initiative in Viet Nam is in its first phase, with the various mechanisms for
drug prescribing, dispensing, purchasing and importation being finalized.
* Seven referral centres have been selected for the provision of ARV
therapy to patients, including two in Hanoi, two in Ho Chi Minh City, one in
Quang Ninh, one in Khanh Hoa and one in Can Tho.
* In Viet Nam, hospital pharmacies can only sell drugs to inpatients, as
there are currently no administrative procedures to sell drugs to
outpatients. The advisory board is devising a mechanism to allow health
stations to have regular access to essential drugs for HIV/AIDS and
opportunistic infections (Ols). This mechanism will begin with two health
stations in Ho Chi Mihn City.
* Health worker training for physicians and nurses is planned to improve
clinical capabilities in the treatment, follow-up, management and care of
HIV infected patients.
* In addition, an extensive training programme is planned for pharmacists,
social workers, and peer educators.
Advisory Board
An Advisory Board was appointed in early 1998 and has met regularly since.
Members include heads or representatives of 12 different entities in the field
of HIV/AIDS in Viet Nam.
Advisory board participants include the Director of the Therapy Department of
the Ministry of Health and Chairperson of the Advisory Board; the ViceChairman of the National AIDS Committee and National AIDS Bureau; the
Heads or representatives of the referral centres; a sociologist; a
representative of the Ministry of Health, AIDS Division; four representatives of
AIDS Committees in the relevant provinces (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh city, Khanh
Hoa, Can Tho); and the representative of UNAIDS in Viet Nam.
Drugs are procured by a government agency in cooperation with the
pharmaceutical companies and will be distributed by VIMEDIMEX, an existing
state-owned import-export company, under the direction of the Ministry of
Health.

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