Cordaid is a Netherlands based Non-profit Organization. Cordaid’s activities focus on the hunger elimination and poverty reduction on the worldwide. Many years in the past, Cordaid and predecessor organisations-Bilance and Memisa supported for public health development projects in Vietnam either directly or indirectly through other international NGOs.

In 2003, Cordaid asked CIHP to conduct a review of Cordaid supported projects and help partners to formulate the Common Health Program in Vietnam for the period of 2004-2006. The program was carried out over 141communes belong to 8 provinces and cities in Vietnam, including: Hung Yen, Thai Binh, Vinh Phuc, Thai Nguyen, Quang Ninh, Thua Thien Hue, Quang Nam and Da Nang to contribute to improve health status of women and children and prevention of HIV. In early 2007, the result of final program review acknowledged the successes of this program during past three years where CIHP’s contributed as a technical support organization. Therefore, although there were some changes in organisation strategy and reduction of sponsored budget in the world, the Cordaid’s supported Health Program in Vietnam is still continue with sponsored fund more increase in period 2008-2010.

Main Cordaid’s partners in Viet Nam

The main partners are People’s Committee of seventh provinces or districts belong to Northern and Central of Vietnam, including:

1. Phu Luong district – Thai Nguyen province

2. Van Quan district – Lang Son province

3. Dien Ban district – Quang Nam province

4. Ngu Hanh Son district – Da Nang city

5. Cam Le district – Da Nang city

6. Tien Yen district – Quang Ninh province

7. My Hao district – Hung Yen province

There are three organizations, which have experience in carrying out health care program in the previous stages, act as technical assistance for first five provinces and districts,. They are Health Information and Education Center (HIEC) supports three project areas in the central Vietnam, Community Health Research Unit - Hanoi School of Medicine (CHRU) supports Phu Luong district, Centre for Community Socio-Economic and Environmental Development (CSEED) supports Van Quan district.

CIHP coordinates and provides technical assistance for the whole Common health program supported by Cordaid in Viet Nam. Additionally, CIHP provides direct technical support to Tien Yen and My Hao district.

In the overall, these are 11 partners directly involve in Common Health Program supported by Cordaid in period 2008-2010.

Program objectives

1. Raising awareness toward changing attitude and behaviour among women, men and youth on prevention of Reproductive Tract Infections (RTIs) and unwanted pregnancy.

2. Enhancing capacity of health staff in implementation health program, focusing on prevention of RTIs and unwanted pregnancy

3. Support partners to work on HIV mainstreaming in their organizations

Beneficiaries

§ Women in the reproductive age and their husband

§ Adolescents and youth

§ Community people in the intervention sites

§ Health staff at district, commune and village levels in the intervention areas

Main activities

Behaviour change communication (BCC) program that employs variety of activities is in the place to raise awareness toward changing attitude and practice on prevention of unwanted pregnancy and RTIs among targeted groups. It includes health education in the group where small group of main targeted groups participate in the health education activities. Health education sessions also are integrated in community meetings. Common health messages will reach wide community people through health sessions in the local loud-speaker radio or local television or social events, such as, Competition or Festival. Parallel with health education activities, counseling services are carried out at Commune Health Stations and District Health Centers to support individuals who have specific needs in term of prevention of RTIs and unwanted pregnancy.

Support for health staff at all levels to conduct all above- mentioned activities, different training program are in place to enhance their knowledge and skills. Training of trainers on BCC and Counseling on the topics of prevention of RTIs and unwanted pregnancy for district trainers were conducted, so that, these knowledge and skills could be transfer to the health educators and commune health workers. Training on project management, monitoring and supervision also included to strengthen management skills of managers. Annual meetings to share experience and updated information, not only on management but also on professional issues will be organized. Common monitoring system that contains indicators and plan is also designed and applied for data collection, analyze and use in management to improve effectiveness of the program.

HIV mainstreaming is part of program activities. Training for trainers on “HIV mainstreaming in the health organization at commune and district level” will be conducted so that these topics could disseminate to whole commune and district health staff. Supported activities based on the need of different partners will be provided. Expected outputs include policy on prevention of HIV in the health facilities is in place and applied, stigmatization and discrimination toward PLWHA is reduced and health staff practice safety behaviour to prevent the transmission of HIV.

Contact information:

Consultation of Investment in Health Promotion (CIHP) No 2, Alley 49/41 Huynh Thuc Khang, Dong Da, Ha Noi, Viet Nam Tel: 84 4 5770261 Fax: 84 4 5770260 Email: cihp@cihp.org Website: http://www.cihp.org

Cordaid P.O. Box 16440 - 2500 BK The Hague The Netherlands Tel: 0031 70 3136 300 Fax: 0031 70 3136 301 Email: cordaid@cordaid.nl Website: http://www.cordaid.nl