Impact of a methadone maintenance therapy pilot in Vietnam and its role in a scaled-up response.

Background: As a dual response to the HIV epidemic and the high level of injecting drug use in Vietnam, the Ministry of Health (MOH) initiated a pilot methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) program in Hai Phong and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) in early 2009. The objectives of the pilot were to provide evidence on whether MMT could be successfully implemented in Vietnam and scaled up to other localities.

Methods: A prospective study was conducted among 965 opiate drug users admitted to the pilot.