New Law in Vietnam Allows Sales of Condoms, Provision at No Cost in Hotels, Restaurants to Prevent HIV Transmission

Health experts in Vietnam say they expect a new law that allows hotels and restaurants to sell condoms or provide them at no cost to help control the spread of HIV in the country, Vietnam News Service reports. The law, which will take effect on Jan. 1, 2007, includes other harm reduction strategies such as the distribution of clean needles to injection drug users. Authorities and the public favor the availability of condoms in hotels to help reduce the spread of HIV, according to Vietnam News Service. In addition, Bright Future Network -- which supports HIV-positive people in the capital, Hanoi -- sells and provides at no cost more than 15,000 condoms monthly to local motels and restaurants. Hanoi's Health Department estimates that about 10,000 HIV-positive people live in the city, 3,000 of whom are living with AIDS, and that more than 1,300 people have died of AIDS-related illnesses (Hai, Vietnam News Service, 8/11).

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