Advancing Medical Care and Rehabilitation Education

In Vietnam, medical and rehabilitation services do not fully meet the needs of persons suffering from congenital brain defects and brain damage due to disease, such as stroke, or trauma. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) partners with the Ministry of Health, hospitals, and medical schools through its Advancing Medical Care and Rehabilitation Education project to close these gaps in Vietnam’s health care system. 

IMPROVING AND EXPANDING MEDICAL AND REHABILITATION CARE

The project improves the quality of medical and rehabilitation care in Vietnam by developing and training staff on guidelines for both home- and medical center-based care. The project also contributes to an expansion of the trained rehabilitation practitioner workforce through the creation of university-level educational programs in line with international standards in occupational and physical therapies.

IMPACT

Over 500 health care professionals have been trained to improve the quality and administration of brain lesion treatments, including provision of rehabilitation services to improve patients’ physical functionality. Thanks to these efforts, thousands of patients are living more independent lives. The project also successfully advocated with the Government of Vietnam to launch the country’s first bachelor’s degree programs in occupational therapy at three regional universities. To date, 57 occupational therapy students have graduated, 46 students are studying in the second cohort, and 40 students are expected to start in the third cohort in 2023.

TARGETED LOCALITIES

The project works in Quang Tri, Hue, and Dong Nai provinces, and with Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi.