VZCZCXRO8971
RR RUEHHM
DE RUEHHI #1374/01 3511107
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 171105Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0598
INFO RHMFIUU/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHINGTON DC
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0079
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 0150
RUEHC/USAID WASHDC 0028
RUEHDR/AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM 0027
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 0027
RUEHGE/AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI
RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 0276
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA
RUEHLGB/AMEMBASSY KIGALI 0027
RUEHLS/AMEMBASSY LUSAKA 0027
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0027
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
RUEHOR/AMEMBASSY GABORONE 0027
RUEHPF/AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH 0049
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 0027
RUEHSB/AMEMBASSY HARARE 0027
RUEHTO/AMEMBASSY MAPUTO 0027
RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 0027
RUEHWD/AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 001374 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
STATE PASS TO OGAC EGOOSBY, MMALONEY-KITTS AND JHOLLOWAY 
AMEMBASSIES PASS TO PEPFAR COORDINATORS, ESTH, HEALTH ATTACHES, CDC DIRECTORS, 
AND AID HEALTH OFFICERS 
HHS/OSSI/DSI PASS TO HHS/OGHA JMONAHAN, MABDOO, ACUMMINGS, CMCCLEAN), NIH/FIC RGLASS, SAMHSA WCLARK, RLUBRAN AND FDA LVALDEZ, BCOREY) 
USAID FOR ANE CJENNINGS, AND GH GSTEELE, RCLAY 
BANGKOK FOR USAID/RDM/A OCARDUNER, MSATIN 
CDC FOR COGH SBLOUT, AND GAP DBIRX, RJSIMONDS, JTAPERO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO EAID SOCI SNAR KHIV VM
SUBJECT: (SBU) PEPFAR supports Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister 
Trong's Visit to United States to review medication-assisted therapy 
and methadone production 
 
REF: HANOI 578 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
 
 
REF: Hanoi 578 
 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary.  With support from the President's Emergency Plan 
for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Deputy Prime Minister Trong of Vietnam 
visited the United States on November 5-14, 2009 to explore 
medication-assisted therapy (MAT) for heroin addiction, including 
the manufacturing of methadone.  The visit concentrated on areas of 
policy development related to illegal narcotic supply and demand 
reduction, licensing of narcotic medications, and oversight and 
diversion control of methadone.  He returned enthused about 
expanding MAT services and announced intentions to manufacture 
methadone in Vietnam. 
 
 
 
¶2. (SBU) Comment.  In addition to MAT, the PEPFAR Vietnam program 
currently supports most components of a comprehensive package of 
interventions for those who inject drugs as recommended by the 
World Health Organization and United Nations Office on Drugs and 
Crime (REF).  Services currently supported include peer education, 
voluntary counseling and testing, drop-in centers for social 
support, drug and HIV education and other community services, 
palliative care and support.  Two of the cornerstones of the 
prevention package are needle and syringe exchange and distribution 
(NSED) and MAT services.  NSED also helps reduce the impact of 
other blood-borne diseases (including syphilis, hepatitis B and C). 
In Vietnam, needle exchange, specifically, is one of the weaker 
aspects of non-USG-supported NSED efforts by multilateral partners 
because persons who inject drugs fear being arrested and placed in 
detention on turning in used syringes.  PEPFAR Vietnam is ready to 
support programmatic improvements and aid with Vietnamese policy 
development as soon as USG policy is clarified.  Though cooperation 
has come a long way since 2004, developing and implementing MAT 
programs in Vietnam is extraordinarily challenging and requires 
patience, perseverance, and political sensitivity.  These efforts 
have aided Vietnam in effectively preventing the spread of HIV 
while assisting those already suffering from infection.  Post 
remains confident and committed to our overall direction.  Further, 
through these PEPFAR-supported efforts, our team is building 
lasting bilateral trust and contributes substantially to overall 
cooperation.  End Summary and Comment. 
 
 
 
¶3. (U) Vietnam has a real opportunity to prevent the spread of 
 
HANOI 00001374  002 OF 003 
 
 
HIV/AIDS into the general population through drug abuse and 
addiction prevention and treatment, including advancing harm 
reduction strategies such as the expansion of MAT.  As part of 
Post's approach to promoting effective interventions to heroin 
addiction and commitment to further expansion and sustainability of 
MAT, PEPFAR Vietnam sponsored a visit by Deputy Prime Minister 
Truong Vinh Trong, Chairman of the National Committee of HIV, Drugs 
and Prostitution Prevention and Control, to the United States, 
November 5-14. 
 
 
 
¶4. (SBU) The delegation included Vice Minister Trinh Quan Huan of 
the Ministry of Health (MOH); Major General Vu Hung Vuong of the 
Ministry of Public Security; Dr. Truong Quoc Coung, Director of the 
Vietnamese Drug Administration (MOH); Madame Hoang Thi Hien, Deputy 
Director of the Office of Science, Education and Social Affairs, 
Office of Government; and Mr. Hoang Van Ke, Vice Chairman of the 
Hai Phong Peoples Committee.  The visit focused on MAT for heroin 
addiction and manufacturing of methadone.  The delegation visited 
various USG and community-based agencies involved in drug treatment 
and methadone manufacturers in Washington, DC and New York City, 
meeting with officials at the White House, State Department, and 
Department of Health and Human Services to examine all components 
of methadone production, including policy, licensing, and oversight 
(from diversion control to clinical implementation, as well as 
manufacturing, storage and distribution).  An overarching goal was 
to explore the feasibility of methadone manufacturing, thereby 
increasing political commitment and the sustainability of MAT. 
According to returning members of the delegation, one of the 
highlights of the trip was the visit to the Brooklyn Drug Treatment 
court they met with the presiding Supreme Court Justice.  The 
delegation reported learning about an alternative approach to 
incarceration and detention, observed cases being adjudicated in 
court and had the opportunity to ask questions. 
 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) The delegation reports that the White House Office of 
National Drug Control Policy offered continued assistance to the 
Government of Vietnam with policy development and improvement of 
coordination functions across ministries on drug issues.  Vietnam 
and Covidien-Mallinckrodt Division, the methadone manufacturer, 
agreed to initiate discussions on a joint venture for the local 
production of methadone in Vietnam.  The Deputy Prime Minister has 
assigned Mr. Cuong, Director of Vietnam Drug Administration as 
point of contact.  PEPFAR Vietnam will orchestrate the first 
meeting by January's end.  Vietnam in meeting with other parties 
agreed to initial mutual interest for future cooperation.  The Food 
and Drug Administration offered to assist the Vietnam Drug 
Administration in development of policies and protocols regarding 
methadone licensing and oversight.  The Drug Enforcement 
Administration offered to assist Vietnam's Ministry of Public 
 
HANOI 00001374  003 OF 003 
 
 
Security to address issues related to diversion control and 
oversight of drug manufacturing facilities.  The National 
Association of Drug Court Professionals offered to assist Vietnam 
and the Supreme People's Procurators with the development of a drug 
court in Vietnam.  Our PEPFAR Vietnam Team, in consultation with 
our partners, will explore possible next steps. 
 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) On return to Hanoi, Deputy Prime Minister Trong hosted the 
annual end-of-year celebratory meeting and dinner for the 
Ambassadors Informal HIV Group.  There was an impressive number and 
diversity of GVN officials represented.  He repeatedly praised 
technical assistance and funding from the USG, with specific 
mention of his productive recent mission to the United States to 
study comprehensively policy issues for medication-assisted 
therapy.  He also mentioned both during his speech and at dinner, 
Vietnam's plans to develop its own methadone manufacturing 
capacity, asking Ambassadors in attendance for their countries' 
help with building facilities and to sell them the raw materials at 
a reasonable price. 
 
 
 
¶7. (SBU) PEPFAR currently supports the GVN's MAT program at six 
sites in two provinces, and the expansion of this service has 
begun.  On World AIDS Day, December 1, Hanoi, the political capital 
of Vietnam, joined the list as the third province to offer this 
service.  Adding to six others in two provinces, the first site in 
Hanoi was opened in Tu Liem District and another five Hanoian 
district sites will open within the next year.  The Government is 
planning to open clinics in 10 more provinces by 2012 and an 
additional set of clinics in 17 provinces by 2015.  Our activities 
and continued advocacy for this evidence-based program has been 
successful.  The GVN has ambitious plans to offer MAT to 80,000 IDU 
within three years. 
 
 
 
MINIMIZE CONSIDERED 
Michalak