My experience in Vietnam - Rob Durbridge

Rob Durbridge, the Federal Industrial Officer of the Australian Education Union visited the Terri Daktyl Club House in April 2009.

Rob Durbridge with Mr Cuong. Rob also visited Union Aid Abroad – APHEDA and the vocational training

The following account has been narrated by Rob:

Mr Cuong is a school teacher and President of a club for people with HIV/AIDS in Kinh Mon, a small town upstream from Hanoi on the Red River where rice growing and traditional agriculture sits side by side with factories and small shipyards. Mr Cuong thanked Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA and South Australia Activists Group for their contribution to the Terri Daktyl Club House.

Mr Cuong explained that their Club meets on the 25th of each month. For the first part of each meeting they choose a discussion topic in consultation with 8 March Centre. In the second part of the meeting they discuss issues such as care and treatment for HIV+ infected people. There is also games, songs and dancing. The 8 March Centre provides refreshments each month.

Before the club house was built, they had to borrow a club member's house to meet in, but it was small. The opening of the Terri Daktyl Club House has given the members status and shown that the local authorities and local people pay attention and care for those who are HIV+.

There are now 386 HIV+ people in the district. 130 have died. The Club has 83 members. 30 of whom are women, 48 men and 5 children. Five members died this year, including one child.

The Terri Daktyl Club House is managed by 6 members and is open 2 - 3 days each week where volunteers meet visitors for counselling and discussion of high risk issues. They are able to provide assistance with care and ARV drugs and health issues. This provides an opportunity to meet people who are in similar situations. The Club also organises visits to people's houses for assessment of high risk people such as those using drugs and sex workers. They provide counselling, information on HIV/AIDS and also condoms and needles which they are able to obtain from other health sources.

The overall objectives are for people to know how to care for someone if they are HIV+ and also to know how to avoid transmission to others. This is to educate and to prevent HIV/AIDS spreading in the community. Communication is very important and each club member is a good communicator in the area where they live. They take an activist role.

One member said initially his mother was very upset when she found out he was HIV+. Now, thanks to support and education, she has changed and encourages her son to live better and she doesn't blame him. Another member said that when he visited a sick person, the family kept saying that they wanted him to take their sick family member away. After he was able to communicate about the disease and about support and treatment, they are supportive of their sick family member and he is receiving care at home.

© Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA 2003.

Last Modified: Friday, 08-Jan-2010 14:42:30 EST
This page: http://apheda.org.au/projects/vietnam/news/1262902844_29096.html