Bac Giang - June 22 2009:

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Vietnam Cares in collaboration with VAAC and
the Bac Giang provincial Health department and the Bac Giang Provincial AIDS
Control Centre open its 3rd ART Clinic

Dignitaries from Vietnam Administration of AIDS Control (VAAC) headed by
Professor Bui Duc Duong, Vice Director of VAAC, Dr.Le Thi Huong, Deputy Chief of
Care and Treatment Division, VAAC and other officials of VAAC grace this
landmark occasion, Dr. Tran Van Sinh, Vice Director of Bac Giang Provincial
Health Department, Dr. Nguyen Thi Ban, Director of Bac Giang Provincial AIDS
Control Centre, the local organizations Women Union, Youth Union, PLHA networks,
Officials of the Provincial Preventive Medicine Centre, The Provincial General
Hospital Staff were present attend the same.

AHF team was represented by Dr Chinkholal Thangsing, Asia Pacific Bureau Chief,
Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Hang, Country Program Coordinator and other staff of AHF
Vietnam Cares were present to grace the occasion.

"Bac Giang Province is fortunate to have the support of AIDS Healthcare
Foundation and we are grateful that this collaboration and strong commitment of
both AHF and VAAC to support the people living with HIVAIDS will bring high
quality care services. We shall fully extend all necessary support to AHF and
make sure that the program is implemented successfully and efficiently" said
Professor Bui Duc Duong. "We hope that AHF will continue to expand its presence
to provide better services and strengthen the ART Clinics for people with
HIVAIDS in various provinces" he added.

" We are fully committed to support the AHF Vietnam Cares and VAAC Collaborative
ART Clinic and make sure that the program will reach out to the community and
bring better healthcare to the people who needed HIV treatment services" said
Dr. Tran Van Sinh.

" We are truly honored for the opportunity given to us by VAAC and the Bac Giang
Provincial Health Department and the AIDS Control center to extend our services
to provide support and life saving ARV treatment services for people living with
HIVAIDS in Bac Giang. We shall jointly ensure that we set a model that
encompassed various successful experiences AHF has globally to ensure the
delivery of high quality treatment and care services and build the skills and
the capacity of the service providers in Bac Giang" said Dr. Chinkholal
Thangsing, Asia Pacific Bureau Chief, AIDS Healthcare Foundation.

Ms Nguyen Thi Nhung a PLHA representative for Bac Giang Self Help group spoke at
the opening ceremony and said "On behalf of more than 3000 PLHAs in the province
we thank AIDS Healthcare Foundation and VAAC for supporting PAC to open this
Clinic. We are very happy that we will be able to access the ART and other
services at our doorsteps. We hope that this clinic will bring many changes for
PLHAs lives and it also is our hope that the community will support the project
and help reduce stigma and discrimination of PLHAs"

AHF Vietnam Cares will provide technical and financial support of the healthcare
services providers' continuing education and training programs, ART treatment,
care and support services, peer education and outreach activities. VAAC will
provide National treatment guidelines, technical support and ARV drugs for the
Collaborative Project at Bac Giang. The project targets to provide life saving
ART, HIV care services to over 300 patients by December 2009.

________________________________________

AHF Vietnam Cares established in 2007, the program carries forward the vision
and mission of AIDS Healthcare Foundation and implements life saving
Anti-retroviral treatment, care and support, prevention and public healthcare
programs Vietnam. In the Asia/Pacific region, AIDS Healthcare Foundation
currently provides free anti-retroviral treatment and services to people in need
through its clinics and programmes in India, Nepal, Thailand, Viet Nam, Cambodia
and China.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is the US' largest non-profit HIV/AIDS
healthcare provider. AHF currently provides medical care and/or services to more
than 100,000 individuals in 22 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin
America/Caribbean and the Asia Pacific Region.


Dr. Chinkholal Thangsing
Asia Pacific Bureau Chief
AHF- Global, New Delhi
+91- 9818270687 mobile
chinkholal.thangsing@...

Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Hang
Country Program Coordinator
AHF Vietnam Cares
+84- 916578666 mobile
nguyenthu.hang@...