Tuyet's Story

Tuyet is a woman of 34 years living in a quiet village in NghiLoc district, about 30 km from Vinh city. Her life went smoothly together for her husband and their lovely daughter. However, one day in October 2009, she was told by her husband that he was HIV positive status from his fellow injectors.

She told her story in pain and puzzlement “If I were HIV positive at that time, I would have sent my daughter to my parents-in-law and then my husband and I would move to my parents in the North to avoid adverse effects on our daughter”. Fortunately, “fate smiled at her destiny” when she received the negative result from the doctor one month after she was informed of her husband’s HIV positive status. “That means my daughter has someone to take care if the “century disease” ends her father’s life”, she thought.

Right after that, another worry tortured her how to protect herself from getting the virus from their daily life? She dared not to have sex with her husband for months since she knew his status.

In January 2010, she met Hanh, a peer educator from “HIV prevention for women” of CHP. Since then, Hanh and Tuyet often saw each other because they had similar circumstance when their husbands were infected with HIV through sharing syringes.  Hanh guided Tuyeton condom use and prevention of cross-infection during daily contact. In addition to counseling for Tuyet, Hanh also talked with her husband about his role in protecting Tuyet from the risk of HIV infection. Hanh became a friend and counselor of Tuyet’s family any time the latter had any questions. 

Peaceful life returned to Tuyet’s family. Their meals became more cozy when Tuyet and other family members knew that HIV cannot be transmitted by sharing food with PLWHA. She also wants to share with the other people that the married couples of different HIV status are able to enjoy marital happiness if they know how to practice safe sex correctly.