PANO - HIV experts gathered in Hanoi on August 22nd to design a cutting-edge, online course for Vietnamese doctors, as revealed in a press release by the US Embassy in Hanoi.

With support from the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and in collaboration with the University of Washington and the Hanoi School of Public Health, the panel of experts initiated the first steps that will lead to a continuing medical education (CME) distance-learning course that engages Vietnamese doctors in the life-saving area of HIV care and treatment.

The course, the first of its kind in Vietnam, will enable doctors to stay up to date with the latest trends in HIV healthcare, and will ensure better service delivery by strengthening the country’s healthcare system and its capacity to effectively counter the spread of HIV.

Leading professionals in HIV healthcare will provide video and audio lectures which can be easily accessed by local doctors online 24-hours a day. The lectures will cover critical areas such as HIV/TB co-infections and the side effects of antiretroviral treatment.

“Approaches to care and treatment for HIV patients change rapidly, so it is vital that Vietnamese doctors keep abreast of these changes,” said Dr. Pham Thanh Thuy, Deputy Head of Bach Mai Hospital’s Infectious Diseases Department cum one of the panel’s experts.

Through PEPFAR and CDC, the United States has committed more than US$10 million over the past two years to train and support Vietnam’s health professionals to combat HIV and strengthen health systems.

Chung Anh