Contributor:
Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Hang (She/Her/Hers)
Head of AHF Representative Office in Vietnam, Country Program Director
AHF Vietnam
For people living with HIV, early diagnosis and uninterrupted treatment can mean the difference between life and death. Yet for people in prison, access to HIV services has often been delayed by limited healthcare resources, fragmented referral systems, and restricted access to specialized care.
Since 2015, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Vietnam has partnered with the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Health, prison authorities, provincial Centers for Disease Control, and healthcare providers to transform HIV services in correctional facilities. Together, they have created an integrated model that ensures people living with HIV receive timely diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and continuous care throughout incarceration, demonstrating that equitable healthcare is possible, even in the most challenging settings. This partnership has enabled the Vietnamese Government to reach underserved communities with care, compassion, and pride—ensuring no one is left behind while honoring its commitments to the UN and the global community.
From Delayed Diagnosis to Immediate Care
Across Asia and the Pacific, prisons remain one of the most underserved settings for HIV prevention and treatment. Recognizing this gap, AHF Vietnam has steadily expanded its prison programme to 23 correctional facilities, supporting more than 2,600 incarcerated people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy (ART) by June 2026.
The program goes far beyond providing treatment. Prison healthcare workers receive specialized training in rapid HIV testing, ART management, clinical monitoring, and data reporting, while facilities are equipped with HIV test kits, laboratory supplies, medicines for opportunistic infections, educational materials, and other essential resources.
One of the program’s most significant achievements has been decentralizing HIV screening. Previously, newly admitted prisoners often waited weeks or even months before provincial health teams could conduct HIV testing. Today, trained prison healthcare staff perform rapid finger-prick HIV tests immediately upon admission, enabling earlier diagnosis and faster access to treatment while reducing logistical barriers and costs.
The results have been remarkable. Every person diagnosed with HIV in participating prisons is successfully linked to treatment, with treatment adherence supported through daily supervision by healthcare staff and trained peer supporters. The average time between HIV diagnosis and treatment initiation has fallen dramatically from 45.7 days in 2019 to just eight days during the first half of 2026, with many prisons now starting treatment within one week.
Clinical care has also advanced significantly. Through the introduction of the VISITECT® CD4 Advanced Disease Test, prison healthcare workers can now rapidly identify people with advanced HIV disease before severe symptoms appear. This innovation enables earlier clinical intervention, helping prevent life-threatening opportunistic infections and improving patient outcomes. As a result, screening for advanced HIV disease increased from 0% in several AHF supported prisons in 2015 to more than 83% in 2026, while HIV-related mortality has continued to decline.
“Every person deserves access to quality HIV services, regardless of where they live or whether they are incarcerated. Our partnership demonstrates that when governments and communities work together, prisons can become places where health, dignity, and hope are restored rather than lost.”
Quoted by Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Hang, Head of AHF Representative Office – Country Program Director, AHF Vietnam.
Protecting Health, Preserving Dignity
AHF Vietnam has also expanded HIV prevention by recognizing that health extends beyond clinical care.
In designated family visitation spaces known as “Happy Rooms,” incarcerated individuals with good rehabilitation records are allowed overnight visits with their legally married spouses. Since 2022, AHF Vietnam has installed condom dispensers in these private spaces, enabling couples to access free condoms discreetly and without stigma.
By 2026, the program had installed 23 condom dispensers and distributed more than 10,000 condoms, reinforcing safer sexual practices while respecting privacy, family relationships, and human dignity.
This initiative reflects a rights-based approach to HIV prevention. Because most incarcerated people eventually return to their families and communities, strengthening HIV prevention within prisons also contributes to protecting public health beyond prison walls.
A Model Built on Partnership
CThe program’s success is rooted in strong collaboration between Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Health, prison authorities, provincial CDCs, healthcare providers, and AHF Vietnam. Continuous mentoring, capacity building, and shared commitment have transformed HIV services from fragmented care into an integrated, patient-centered system.
Today, Vietnam’s prison HIV program demonstrates that correctional facilities can become places where health is protected, treatment is uninterrupted, and dignity is respected.
Looking Ahead
AHF Vietnam’s experience shows that prisons must never be excluded from national HIV responses. By investing in healthcare workers, strengthening health systems, ensuring uninterrupted access to treatment and prevention services, and fostering cross-sector collaboration, Vietnam has demonstrated that equitable HIV care is both achievable and sustainable.
As countries across Asia and the Pacific work towards ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, this programme offers an important lesson: reaching people in correctional facilities is not only a public health imperative, but also it is a matter of human rights. Behind every statistic is a life protected, a family supported, and a reminder that no one should be left behind, regardless of where they are. To maximize impact, AHF Vietnam is prepared to support the Government in expanding services to the remaining prisons, with domestic financing dedicated to saving lives. The Government can also highlight its successful partnership with AHF to the global community, with a focus on neighboring ASEAN countries and beyond.
