As the HIV epidemic has evolved in Viet Nam, both governments and international donors have given priority to prevention and surveillance activities. The main reason is that Viet Nam has had success up to now using surveillance and containment to control infectious diseases such as polio, SARS and, more recently, avian flu. HIV/AIDS policy and practice also aims foremost at controlling the spread of the virus and has paid less attention to providing care and treatment to individuals already affected. In keeping with past experience in other epidemics, health staff perceived HIV-infected persons as sources of contamination, who should be isolated.