Oversight visits to VUSTA Project: Achievements, Challenges, and Sustainable Directions

On July 31, 2025, the Oversight Committee of the Country Coordinating Mechanism for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (CCM Vietnam) conducted a routine oversight visit to the project “Enhancing the Participation of Social and Community Organizations in HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control” – the VUSTA Project, implemented by the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations. The project is funded by the Global Fund for the 2024–2026 period and runs across 14 provinces and cities after administrative mergers, with an adjusted total budget of USD 5.74 million.

According to VUSTA’s report, HIV outreach and testing metrics for the first half of 2025 have either reached or surpassed goals, especially for female sex workers (FSW), reaching more than 110% of anticipated numbers. Most referrals for high-risk individuals concentrated on HIV testing services, but access to methadone treatment and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) remained lower due to client reluctance amid policy changes in drug user management and disruptions in PrEP service following donor-driven activity adjustments.

Despite these encouraging outcomes, several challenges were identified. Complex administrative procedures and lengthy treasury controls have delayed funding disbursement. Coordination has also been made more difficult by administrative mergers, requiring renewed agreements among provincial CDCs, implementing units, health facilities, and community organizations.  This has caused delays in the delivery of supplies and equipment as well as creating uncertainty within community networks.

The Global Fund’s mandatory 12% budget decrease has further limited funds for outreach worker training and community engagement equipment purchases, impacting service quality.

In this context, the VUSTA Project proposed several orientations to enhance sustainability, including integrating HIV/AIDS prevention and control services into national health programs; expanding the public service contracting mechanism for community-based organizations; mobilizing private and community resources; seeking new international funding; and promoting social enterprise models for CBOs. The project also recommended further institutionalizing the role of community organizations as partners within the local health and social service delivery system.

CCM Vietnam highly appreciates the efforts of the VUSTA Project in maintaining effective community outreach despite challenges posed by budget cuts and administrative restructuring. However, to ensure the achievement of annual targets and move toward sustainability, the project needs to focus on three priorities: accelerating disbursement, securing the supply chain for commodities and PrEP, and strengthening the role of the CBO network to sustain essential services for key populations. CCM Vietnam’s risk-based coordination and oversight will be crucial to transforming outputs into long-term impact for MSM, transgender people, FSWs, and PWID.

CCM secretariat