Workshop on community – based rehabilitation for victims of toxic chemical used by the U.S Army in Vietnam war
On March 12th 2012, the Ministry of Health organized a workshop on community – based Rehabilitation for victims of toxic chemical used by the U.S Army in Vietnam war in Hanoi. The workshop with Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien in the chair attracted the participation of nearly 200 delegates representing 63 provinces across the country, Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA), Vietnam Martyr Families Support Assocication, and the domestic and foreign organizations. In particular, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, a Politburo Member, attended and had a speech in the workshop.
Delivering his speech at the workshop, Deputy PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc appreciated great efforts of the Ministry of Health and the provincial governments of Thai Binh, Quang Ngai, Dong Nai in effectively implementing the project. He also appreciated the achieved results of the Project community – based Rehabilitation for victims of toxic chemical used by the U.S Army in Vietnam war (HSPH) that was performed in recently. He asked the Ministry of Health should take the initiative in planning to deploy community - based rehabilitation program for the disabled group in general and for victims of Agent Orange in particular on a national scale in the future.
Politburo Member, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc delivering speech in the workshop
Hanoi School of Public Health (HSPH) was commissioned by the Ministry of Health to implement the Community-based Rehabilitation Project for Victims of toxic chemicals in three provinces of Thai Binh, Quang Ngai and Dong Nai in the period 2008 - 2013. After four years of implementation, the project has helped 3 provinces to build models of rehabilitation at home for victims of toxic chemicals through the guidance of local medical staff and 650 collaborators who are family members with victims. To date, nearly 7,600 cases have been operated or rehabilitated at home and many other cases have received allocation of assistive devices.
In her opening speech at the workshop, the Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien suggested experts, medical scientists, health managers to discuss jointly, share experiences and evaluate results of the first step of the project; learning from experience as a basis for proposing to expand the project next time. The Minister also appreciated the efforts of HSPH in implementing rehabilitation activities in community for victims of toxic chemicals used by the U.S. in Vietnam war. Ministers also stressed, in the future, the Ministry of Health will continue to coordinate with the ministries, Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin to promote activities of protection and health care for victims of toxic chemicals / dioxin more effectively and practicall.
Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien delivering opening speech at the workshop
In his report about results of the implementation Project "Community – based rehabilitation for victims of toxic chemicals used by the U.S in Vietnam war", Assoc.Prof.Dr Tran Trong Hai, Deputy Director of the Project showed that, the Project was implemented in three provinces of Thai Binh , Quang Ngai and Dong Nai for those who participated in the Resistance and their family members infected with dioxin. Duration of the project is from 2008 to 2013. To date, the project has provided services and knowledge transfer to 14 886 victims and people with disabilities; 7,600 victims were rehabilitated at home; 343 victims who had surgery or rehabilitation at the hospital ; 820 victim were allocated assistive devices.
Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien awarded certificates of merit to individuals and groups of projects "Community – based rehabilitation for victims of toxic chemicals used by the U.S in Vietnam war" (HSPH)
At the workshop, the Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien awarded certificates of merit to 42 collectives and individuals who had many achievements in deploying of organization and implementation project.
Workshop also received comments from VAVA, Health Departments of 3 provinces Thai Binh, Quang Ngai, Dong Nai and some other organizations.