Hanoi (VNA) - Most National Assembly (NA)deputies agreed on the need to issue a law amending and supplementing a numberof articles in the Law on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control, on the fourth day ofthe legislature’s 10th sitting, on October 23.

Acting Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long presentedthe proposal for the draft law.

He said the rate of HIV infections in Vietnam has fallencontinuously over the last 12 years and now stands at less than 0.3 percent.

The amendments and supplements aim to create a legalcorridor in order to complete the target of basically wiping out the disease by2030, Long stressed, as set out in Resolution No 20-NQ/TW from the 12th PartyCentral Committee.

Deputies then heard a report assessing the draft law,presented by Nguyen Thuy Anh, head of the NA’s Committee for Social Affairs.

They shared the view that the amendments andsupplements would help intensify the protection of and improvements to publichealth in the new era, while dealing with limitations in the existing law.

Many said that certain regulations of the Law onHIV/AIDS Prevention and Control are no longer suitable for the currentsituation and clash with other laws, resulting in inconsistency in treatment.

Many others suggested adding regulations on thoseallowed to access information on HIV/AIDS patients in order to protect the interestsof the carriers in treatment, payment, and disease prevention.

Pham Van Hoa, a deputy from the Mekong Delta provinceof Dong Thap, further explained that information access is crucial topreventing transmission from patients to their relatives or caregivers.

At the same time, information must be kept secret sothat patients can live happily and healthily, he said.

Deputy Trieu Thanh Dung from the northern mountainousprovince of Cao Bang said the wishes of HIV/AIDS patients should be of the greatestconcern during treatment.

Legislators also discussed free HIV testing for pregnantwomen and new mothers, and the operation of the HIV/AIDS treatment fund.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Hoang Thi Hoa, ViceChairwoman of the NA Committee for Culture, Education, Youth, Adolescents, andChildren, said the amendments and supplements need to enable HIV/AIDS-infected peopleto prevent transmission while ensuring their democracy and equality.

Nguyen Lan Hieu, a deputy from the Mekong Delta provinceof An Giang, suggested that Vietnam seek domestic resources for public health,given the falling donations from international organisations./.