Ho Chi Minh City recorded the highest proportion of newly reported HIV infections in Vietnam in 2025, followed closely by the Mekong Delta region, according to health officials.
Speaking at a national conference on HIV counselling, testing and treatment in Hanoi on September 11, Dr Nguyen Thi Mai of the Department of Disease Prevention under the Ministry of Health said Vietnam is currently estimated to have around 267,000 people living with HIV.
Nearly 10,000 new HIV infections were detected nationwide in 2025. The figure marked a decline from the period between 2020 and 2024, when annual new diagnoses consistently exceeded 13,000 cases.
Men accounted for the overwhelming majority of new infections, representing more than 83 per cent of newly diagnosed cases in 2025.
Nguyen Thi Mai, deputy head of the HIV/AIDS and substance addiction treatment division (Photo: N.P).
According to Mai, Ho Chi Minh City accounted for 31 per cent of all newly reported HIV cases nationwide, the highest proportion among regions, while the Mekong Delta followed with 30 per cent.
Young people continued to represent a significant share of new infections, with the highest numbers recorded among those aged 16-29 and 30-39.
Unsafe sexual activity has now become the dominant mode of HIV transmission in Vietnam, replacing injecting drug use, which was previously the leading route of infection.
Health experts said the trend underscores the continuing need for HIV prevention measures, particularly among high-risk populations.
PrEP faces new funding challenges
Pre-exposure prophylaxis, commonly known as PrEP, remains one of the most effective tools for reducing the risk of HIV infection among people at increased risk of exposure.
Professor Le Minh Giang of Hanoi Medical University said reductions in international funding from late 2024 and early 2025 had affected several HIV prevention programmes, forcing service providers to seek alternative funding models.
In response, Vietnam has begun expanding commercial PrEP services under which users pay directly for preventive treatment.
Giang said the transition from a donor-dependent model to a more financially sustainable system reflects broader changes within Vietnam's healthcare sector.
"We need to find a more sustainable model that is suited to Vietnam's conditions," he said, expressing hope that the approach could be expanded nationwide.
Le Minh Giang, director of the Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health Training (Photo: N.P).
Experts at the conference stressed that PrEP remains a key component of Vietnam's strategy to combat HIV/AIDS and achieve its goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
Strengthening training and healthcare capacity
Alongside efforts to build sustainable service delivery models, healthcare workforce development was identified as a critical priority.
The Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health Training presented updated continuing education materials on HIV counselling, testing and treatment, developed with support from a range of specialists, including representatives from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The materials are intended to help healthcare professionals update their knowledge and strengthen their ability to provide HIV-related services amid evolving medical guidelines and regulatory requirements.
Experts also called for greater use of blended learning models combining online and in-person training, the development of master trainers and expanded remote technical support systems.
They added that training materials should be regularly updated to reflect changes in clinical practice and legal frameworks governing HIV prevention and treatment.