On September 24, 2024, the School of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, hosted a workshop to summarize the first year's results of community network implementation within the framework of the cooperation agreement between the School of Preventive Medicine and Public Health – Hanoi Medical University and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC).
Attending the workshop, from the U.S. CDC, was Ms. Asia Nguyen - Medical Advisor for the U.S. CDC in Vietnam.
From the School of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, attendees included Assoc. Prof. PhD. Dr. Le Thi Thanh Xuan - Vice Dean of the School of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, and Technical Lead for the Health System Strengthening component.
Also present were delegates from the Provincial Centers for Disease Control of Thai Nguyen, An Giang, and Can Tho City; delegates from friendly clinics in phase 2 (Ha Dong General Hospital, Dong Da Hospital, OPC Hospital A, OPC Thai Nguyen City Medical Center), Long Bien District Medical Center; three clinics participating in the QI model (Hai Dang Clinic, SHP Clinic, 125 Thai Thinh Clinic); and delegates from community organizations in An Giang, Hanoi, Hai Phong, Thai Nguyen, and Can Tho.
The Health System Strengthening (HSS) component of the project “Enhancing Program Evaluation Capacity and Strengthening Health Systems to Support HIV Prevention, Treatment, and Care in Vietnam” for the 2018-2023 period achieved many outstanding accomplishments in HIV/AIDS prevention and control in Vietnam and contributed to strengthening the capacity of the national health system. In a short period of implementation, the project achieved impressive results such as implementing learning academy activities, launching 5 initiative packages from 5 community organizations, organizing diverse online webinars on organizational development and professional capacity for the target community, developing specialized medical documents for the community, and piloting the QI model at private medical facilities to promote health equity for the target community in Vietnam. Simultaneously, it raised community awareness of HIV knowledge, U=U, stigma, and discrimination against the target community, and supported spaces to foster the design of HIV/AIDS and comprehensive health programs for the community.
In the new 2023-2028 phase, the project “Implementing Innovative Initiatives, Generating Evidence-Based Models for National HIV and Public Health Programs, and Strengthening Best Practices to Control Epidemics in Vietnam” (abbreviated as IMPACT Vietnam) has officially been launched. The Health System Strengthening component is an activity within the project, aiming to enhance the capacity of healthcare workers (those providing HIV services) and raise community awareness to reduce stigma and discrimination against the target community, thereby improving the quality of sustainable healthcare services.
At the workshop, Ms. Asia Nguyen, Medical Advisor for the U.S. CDC in Vietnam, shared insights on the PEPFAR Strategy and Goals for the 2024-2028 period. She affirmed that achieving the 2030 goals requires the close participation and coordination of HIV service providers and community-led engagement, with a focus on quality improvement and a people-centered approach.
The workshop featured three independent discussion sessions to address the question: “How can the health system provide community-friendly healthcare services for the target community?” from the perspectives of healthcare facilities and community organizations. The discussion generated many meaningful ideas that will contribute to the project in the next phase.
Assoc. Prof. PhD. Dr. Le Thi Thanh Xuan, Vice Dean of the School of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, expressed profound gratitude to the Ministry of Health, Hanoi Medical University, and the U.S. CDC in Vietnam. The support and facilitation from these entities have significantly contributed to the implementation of community healthcare activities and the strengthening of the health system in Vietnam.
