HANOI, March 27 (Xinhuanet) -- The rate of HIV infection in
Vietnam has slowed down as a result of effective prevention
measures carried out in the past year.
   HIV infection in the country rose 33 percent from 1999 to 2000,
but grew just 10 percent from 2000 to 2001 to record 12,326 new
cases, according to a report of local daily Vietnam News on
Wednesday.
   The drop in the HIV infection rate was attributed to the
country's national-wide information campaign, particularly
targeting at risk groups.
   Figures from the health ministry gathered in 43 cities and
provinces of the country showed that all blood donations are
screened for HIV before use in transfusions.
   However, Deputy Health Minister Tran Chi Liem warned that HIV
positive people in Vietnam are getting younger, with proportion of
patients under 30 years increasing from 34 percent in 1997 to 61
percent last year.
   Most of the HIV carriers are men, accounting for 84 percent of
the total.
   By the end of last year, Vietnam had reported 46,334 cases of
HIV. Of those, some 6,700 had developed full-blown AIDS and nearly
3,700 had died.  Enditem