Vietnam initiated the HSS system in 1994 in selected provinces with high HIV burden. The surveillance has two components: monitor HIV sero-prevalence and risk behaviors among key population including PWID. However, no VL data were collected among HIV infected people. In 2016, Vietnam piloted an added component of VL testing to the existing HSS system. The purpose was to test the feasibility of adding VL testing to the HSS so that VL data among PWID would be available. The pilot was conducted in two provinces in southern Vietnam-Ho Chi Minh City and Long An. It was expected that adding the VL testing to the existing HSS would also save resources and help monitor HIV viral transmission among PWID in the community regardless if they are currently on anti-retroviral therapy (ART).
Objective:
To share Vietnam's experiences piloting the integration of viral load (VL) testing into the national HIV sentinel surveillance (HSS) system to better understand the level of HIV viral transmission among people who inject drugs (PWID).