WHO's current programmes in Viet Nam

WHO is helping Viet Nam address its health challenges by providing expertise, developing appropriate systems and tools and advocating policy change . This involves working with local and international agencies on many programmes, including:

Adolescent Health

Conducting studies and establishing working groups to assess needs and explore solutions; developing policy and strategic plans to provide appropriate health services for young people; supporting advocacy activities involving young people.

Blood Safety

Supporting our counterparts in Viet Nam through formulating strategies to improve systems for safe voluntary and unpaid blood donation and appropriate use of blood.   The organisation is working with relevant agencies to provide technical assistance and support for the implementation of projects.  These projects are designed to establish regional blood transfusion centres with the capacity to satisfy community and government requirements for sufficient volumes of safe blood.   

Combating Tobacco

Viet Nam's high rates of smoking represent a serious health challenge. It is estimated that 10% of Viet Nam's present population will die prematurely from tobacco-related diseases if effective tobacco control measures are not taken. WHO has been supporting Vietnam in   advancing tobacco control policy, facilitating implementation of prevention programmes, and to coordinate tobacco control partners . A national policy on tobacco control was approved in 2000.  

Ethnic Minorities and the Poor

Conducting studies on issues affecting equity and access to quality health services and supporting pilot schemes in remote areas.

Food Safety

Unsafe food supplies have caused numerous illnesses. Puffer fish poisoning alone affected 168 people in 2001, of whom 28 died. WHO has helped the Ministry of Health to formulate policy to train food handlers on hygienic food preparation. A network of food laboratories has been set up for food surveillance, monitoring and analysis.

Health Insurance

WHO devises schemes and policies to create a social safety net   and  helps  national agencies implement community-based health insurance pilots.  

Health Promotion

This work includes interventions in the community, workplace and schools in order to encourage the adoption of healthier lifestyles. WHO is supporting initiatives with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education aimed at preventing worm infections through school and community based interventions and to make school facilities more healthy and hygienic, to improve water quality and educate children on key health concerns, such as drug use, traffic safety and nutrition.

Health Sector Development

Assisting national efforts to ensure that quality health services are effectively and efficiently delivered and supporting the MOH in a variety of key areas such as services and human resources planning, health legislation, health inspection and health management information systems.

HIV/AIDS

With other agencies in the UN system and the wider international community, WHO supports surveillance activities and facilitates the adaptation and adoption of technical strategies such as interventions to promote "100% condom use". The organization is also working with relevant agencies at national and provincial level in projects for prevention and care of HIV/AIDS; whilst also advocating for internationally recognized interventions for harm reduction and to decrease stigma and discrimination.

Immunization

WHO in Viet Nam is currently providing technical assi s tance in the following areas: 1) maintenance of traditional diseases eradication/elimination programmes, i.e. poliomyelitis and neonatal tetanus ; 2) introduction and strengthening of the new diseases control initiatives, i.e. measles and hepatitis B ; 3) strengthening of the quality aspect of EPI services, i.e. surveillance for adverse events following immunization and safe injection and waste disposal; 4) financial sustainability planning and advocacy; and 5 ) assistance to the national regulatory authority (NRA) for vaccine quality assurance to fulfill its 6 essential functions to become capable of handling new domestic vaccine production initiatives .  

Injury Control

WHO's support in Vietnam includes: providing technical assistance, guidelines and recommendations; facilitating programme implementation and coordination among injury prevention partners; and to mobilize fund for injury prevention.

Malaria

WHO's assistance to Viet Nam's malaria control programme resulted in a 90% drop in deaths in five years: Applying community-based monitoring of malaria control; WHO has also supported for training village health workers and microscopists in two provinces: Lai chau and Dak nong , such as helping to provide access to Rapid Diagnostic Tests. WHO also support and cooperate with NIMPE to find the best way for malaria control in migrants. WHO also assisted in the development of anti-malarial fixed combination treatment

Maternal And Child Health

Supporting the implementation of safe motherhood activities, immunization, strengthened newborn care services, the expansion of the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) approach and breastfeeding and complementary feeding counseling .

Noncommunicable Diseases

Developing community-based interventions to prevent and control NCDs, including surveillance activities.

Pharmaceuticals

WHO works with government agencies to improve technical capacity for quality assurance of pharmaceuticals, acquire appropriate technology, undertake research, organise meetings and conferences, support scientists and technicians to undertake higher education and conduct regular programme monitoring and evaluation exercises .

Tuberculosis

Developing computer systems to collect, process and manage data; promoting WHO's treatment strategy.

The WHO programme in Viet Nam has a total budget of over $11 million for the period of 2004-2005.