Over the last few weeks, there has been an ARV shortage in Vietnam. Hence, in order to avoid a stock-out of ARVs during the current COVID-19 pandemic, USAID’s Global Health Supply Chain, Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM) project helped the Government of Vietnam to facilitate a shipment of ARVs from India. GHSC-PSM worked with counterparts in India to ensure that these ARVs were released after the COVID-19 lockdown limited all transportation. In addition, the USAID Sustainable HIV and TB Responses from Technical Assistance project coordinated with provincial authorities and HIV treatment facilities in Tay Ninh to ensure sufficient supply of ARVs to quarantined PLHIV. As a result, Tay Ninh’s Hoa Thanh District is now delivering antiretrovirals to PLHIV who are quarantined, highlighting the critical importance of coordinating ARVs as part of the COVID-19 response.
So What? Treatment continuity is the cornerstone of effective HIV care and treatment, and it continues to be a high priority during this critical time.