Hanoi (VNA) - Digital technology and social media arepowerful in supporting Vietnam’s goal to eliminate HIV by 2030, heard aforum in Hanoi on March 23.

The forum brought together representatives from the government,the private sector, and communities to discuss how to further integrate HIVservices and support into the digital age.

Dr Phan Thi Thu Huong, vice director of the Vietnam Administrationof HIV/AIDS Control, said that over 50 percent of Vietnamese people have accessto the internet, and a majority of them use social media.

“We need to find creative ways to reach them through new andexciting social media channels,” she said.

Le Minh Thanh, director of social enterprise G-link, said that ouronline community on social media provides a safe space for people at risk ofHIV to learn and talk about safe sex and services such as HIV self-testing andpre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

“We can reach more people online and especially those who areafraid to discuss these topics publicly. We can then translate these onlineconversations into offline action,” Thanh said.

“For example, we share online booking tools to link people at riskof HIV directly to services, guide them to our e-stores to purchase essentialssuch as condoms and lubricants, and help them to manage adherence to long-termprevention methods such as PrEP with the iPrEP app on their mobile phones,” headded.

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) and PATH,an international non-profit health organization, initiated a Healthy Marketsproject that aims to grow a viable market for HIV-related goods and servicescapable of meeting the needs of people facing the greatest risks.

The project is working with local civil society organizations suchas G-link, Lighthouse and Vsmile to test and scale online tools such as theRainbow Village and Be Me.Be Sexy! Facebook communities and the I Reserve app.

I Reserve app, for example, has helped nearly 500 people makeappointments for HIV testing and counselling since last year.

Among those who use the app, 12.5 per cent were diagnosed with HIV- an HIV-positive rate that is twice as high as that seen through face-to-facereferrals. This demonstrates that online tools offer effective ways to engagethose most at risk of HIV.

Dr John Eyres, USAID Health Office Director, believed that withthe introduction of forward-thinking methods such as community-based HIVtesting and PrEP, Vietnam is known as an early adopter of innovative ways toprevent and manage HIV.

Cutting edge online initiatives that are driven by communities,civil society groups, entrepreneurs, and businesses are boosting the uptake ofHIV testing, PrEP, and essential products such as condoms, and are playing acritical role in Vietnam’s efforts to achieve the 90-90-90 goals, he said.-VNA