#SAFE_ZONE LIFE Centre

HCMC – 1.12.2022

The HIV/AIDS epidemic is increasing rapidly among young people, particularly men who have sex with men. Among those who are diagnosed with HIV, people under 29 years of age account for almost 50%. Concerningly, these young people have limited information and knowledge related to HIV prevention, treatment, and services, leading to low utilization and up-take of health care services. Upon reviewing the data, it was recognized that current programming has not focused on reaching young factory workers who seemed to be disproportionately affected. The SAFE-ZONE campaign, initiated under the LADDERS project, has been working to address this gap in coverage among this at-risk group. On December 1st, LADDERS, implemented by Life Centre, convened a workshop introducing the SAFE –ZONE campaign.

The campaign uses tailored HIV prevention messages and materials specifically for workers in factories/industrial zones focusing on improving knowledge, attitudes and practices related to sexual health, including safe sex practices and HIV/AIDS prevention. This intervention also enhances access to community-based HIV services such as counseling, testing, referral, PrEP, PEP and ARV. This novel intervention was piloted in Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai provinces in late 2022, with promising initial results. Stakeholders and representatives of factories and multinational companies recognized the tangible impact of SAFE-ZONE in the common goal of improving and protecting workers’ health.

In order to achieve the goal of ending AIDS by 2030, it’s critical for a broad and collective effort with partners in both industry as well as health work together to mobilize the available resources/expertise to reduce HIV transmission among the key populations – particularly young MSM in factory/industrial zones.

Figure 1. A featured talk show during the workshop discussed the impact of SAFE-ZONE and its potential for expansion. Participants included a representative from the VAAC, two representatives from industry, a representative from a CBO working in the SAFE-ZONE campaign and the Director for LIFE Centre overseeing the implementation of LADDERS.

Figure 2. Dr Minh Tam Thi Nguyen, Leader of the Vietnam Authority of HIV/AIDS Control, emphasized the urgency and necessity of deploying innovative intervention models on HIV/AIDS for young factory workers.

Figure 3. Dr Randolph Augustin, Director of the Office of Health at USAID Vietnam, also affirmed USAID’s commitment to strengthening community capacities, enhancing community engagement through strategic partnerships (e.g. C2P+).

HCMC, Jan-March

LADDERS, through the SAFE Zone campaign, has worked to enhance the knowledge of workers in industrial zones and factories/companies, particularly among young people, on HIV prevention and safe sex practices. The campaign does this by providing them with information and practices for their protection to ensure their well-being. In 2023, a strategic partnership with the HCMC Labor Federation allowed LADDERS to bring HIV services to the workplace to address access barriers. The Federation’s effort to coordinate and liaise with a number of companies/enterprises around the city has paved the way for 10 SAFE-ZONE campaigns to reach out to roughly 3,000 workers in various settings.

Four DOMEs, community one-stop shop models established under LADDERS, which includes M for M, Alo Boy, G3VN and Glink, have been conducting communications activities that engaged workers at the factory with these matured community groups. The outreach workers who are members of those organizations created activities that provided more detailed information according to the needs of each factory worker they engaged with, answering their questions and supporting them to utilize available and beneficial services from their respective DOME to help meet these employees specific health needs.

Through this activity, these newly engaged workers are more familiar with the types of services provided by a DOME and building a relationship/trust with a particular DOME to further engage them to discuss various sexual health needs or issues. The DOME(s) assigned to specific employers continue to maintain their relationship with them in order to support ongoing activities and needs in which the DOME can help support newly diagnosed workers transition as clients to support on treatment or PrEP which are part of the strategic work to controlling HIV spread.

The sustained SAFE-ZONE campaign helps various workers in factory settings see the importance of health protection, especially sexual health. Bringing these services to the workplace also helps to address barriers of access which makes it more convenient for workers to utilize these health services, as well as providing information and connection to foster the utilization of these services among those who are most likely to benefit. This multi-stakeholder collaboration for convenient and effective SAFE-ZONE activities targeting factory workers should be considered for further documentation and institutionalization in the hope of building a healthy workforce for a sustainable and prosperous business and realizing the national policy of “Health for all”.

Figure 1,2,3. Shy as they might appear, these young workers quickly found themselves engaging in the interactive sessions delivered by charismatic MCs and guest speakers.

Figure 4,5. This SAFE ZONE event took place at venues where 75% of workers are young men. Each DOME managed to provide more than 200 participants with critical information about HIV, STIs, safe sex and PrEP, as well as services and key messages about health-seeking habits.