" We are deeply grateful for this opportunity to learn to be useful and
contribute to the society as HIV Medics. This is also a personal achievement
for us all and a new beginning to lead a productive life extending a helping
hand to Doctors and nurses and make the lives of fellow PLHAs better and bring
smiles in our lives". [The HIV Medics – 1st Batch Class Monitor/Representative}

Guang Ninh: June 26 2009

The Graudation Ceremony of " HIV MEDICS" - AHF Vietnam Cares, VAAC and the Quang
Ninh Medical College and Health Department collaborative HIV Medics training
program in Vietnam was held at the Quang Ninh Medical College on the 26th June
2009.

The first batch of 31 students enrolled for the training course have all
graduated and seven of the Medics graduated with Honors/distinction. The
graduation ceremony was graced by representatives from the the Ministry of
Health, Vietnam Administration of AIDS Control, The Provincial Health Department
of Quang Ninh, The National Institute of Infectioius and Tropical Disease, Vice
Dean, Quang Ninh Medical College, Department of Science and training, Provincial
AIDS Control Centre of QUang Ninh, The People Committee, Department of Invalid
and Social Affairs, Department of Social Evil Control and Prevention, The
teachers and students of the Quang Ninh Medical College and from the general
community.

"The VAAC is grateful to AHF Vietnam Cares and the Quang Ninh Medical College
for the support to this new program that will add HIV service workers to provide
better treatment and care services for PLHAs.

The HIV Medics will play crucial role in our fight with HIVAIDS in Vietnam. We
wish to continue and expand the HIV Medics program and build a strong force of
HIV Medics to assist healthcare professionals involve in HIVAIDS treatment
and care programs" said Professor Bui Duc Duong

"Bringing the HIV Medics program to Vietnam will help usher more HIV positive
people and those already living with AIDS into care and treatment and help build
more cadre in the fight against the epidemic in Vietnam. AHF thank Ministry of
Health, VAAC for this innovative task shifting program and creative a force of
para- professional to help in better provision of treatment and care for people
with HIVAIDS. We thank all who were involved in securing this exciting new
training partnership" Michael Weinstein, President- AIDS Healthcare Foundation
(AHF)

"I cannot begin to express how happy I am that all of you have graduated the HIV
Medic program. I know you have worked hard to understand all the topics and
clinicals needed to provide excellent care and treatment to others with
HIV/AIDS."- Mary Adair, Director of Task Shifting Projects, AHF Global

" We are honored to collaborate with MOH/VAAC on the HIV Medics and thank their
support. The innovative HIVAIDS education program conceived, developed and
initiated by AHF to train lay people as HIV Medics – a paraprofessional
healthcare worker trained to assist clinicians and nurses in the provision of
Anti-retroviral therapy for people living with HIVAIDS. The Vietnam Program is
unique as the first batch of HIV medics are all PLHAs and the Vietnam government
has committed to provide 100% placement for each of the graduate which is will
help to unburdened task of HIV service providing doctors and nurses" Dr.
Chinkholal Thangsing, Asia Pacific Bureau Chief, AHF Global

" It was a big challenge for us at the Quang Ninh Medical College to train this
lay people on the HIV Medic curricula provided by VAAC/AHF Vietnam Cares. We
are surprise at the hard work and determination of the students and that they
have all passed the examination and graduated is highly commendable. We wish
them all success in their work" said Dr. Nguyen Thi Kim Thoa, Vice Dean of
Quang Ninh Medical College.

The HIV Medics Program developed in 2004 by AHF is an innovative solution to the
shortage of healthcare workers in resource-constrained settings. The program
comprise of an intensive training program where laypeople are trained to become
praprofessional "extenders" of treatment who provide basic triage and intensive
adherence support, and assist in the provision of ART.

The program was piloted in Uganda and has been WHO-cited "best practice"
task-shifting program. HIV Medics take on some of the clinical, counseling and
administrative responsibilities from nurses and doctors so that the clinical
team is able to care for and treat larger numbers of patients in less time.

The HIV Medics was developed focused on supporting local capacity and creating
partnerships that allow country nationals to play a lead role in day-to-day
operations, AHF's programs are designed to be sustainable, scalable, and
replicable.

________________________________________
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.