Speeches Shim
Last week, USAID introduced the USAID Linkages for Small and Medium Enterprises (LinkSME) project at Vietnam’s first ever International Machinery Fair in Ho Chi Minh City. The fair took place over three days, and attracted 120 exhibitors and 23,000 visitors, who represented a combination of firms of all sizes interested in buying and selling machinery components.
On December 1, USAID/Vietnam Mission Director Michael Greene opened USAID’s IMPACT-MED National Medical Education Conference in Hue. At the event, he recognized the progress Vietnam has made this year towards its goal of a reformed medical education system, highlighting the rollout of a new and cutting-edge undergraduate curriculum in five of the country’s universities of medicine and pharmacy. Nearly 500 participants from universities, hospitals, industry, and government joined the regional conference.
The Ministry of Health issued a circular in 2017 to facilitate management of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs that are procured using the SHI fund, with the first ARV drugs procured through SHI planned for early 2019. To support this initiative, USAID, through its Sustainable Financing for HIV and Health Financing and Governance projects, and the Vietnam Administration of HIV Control (VAAC), supported Vietnam Social Security (VSS) to develop guidelines on SHI implementation for PLHIV and facilitated consensus from relevant agencies. On December 5, VSS released these much needed guidelines to its central level agencies and to the Provincial Social Security on: (1) the implementation of centralized procurement; (2) payment of ARV drugs from the SHI fund; and (3) the provision of an ARV copayment subsidy for PLHIV.
In Vietnam, USAID’s support to persons with disabilities furthers the implementation of disability laws and regulations, strengthens rehabilitation service systems, and provides direct assistance. Since 1989, the U.S. Government has contributed more than $100 million in assistance to persons with disabilities. On November 30, USAID received an award from the Vietnam Federation of Disabilities for its significant support over the years to Vietnamese with disabilities, including through civil society and disability rights advocacy organizations. The awards ceremony brought together over 200 representatives from Government of Vietnam ministries, disabled persons organizations, and other disabilities rights advocacy organizations. It also provided a platform for dialogue between persons with disabilities, civil society and law/policy makers.
In recent years, Vietnam has issued, amended, and supplemented a number of laws related to combating wildlife trafficking. Understanding the new regulations is critical to law enforcement officers’ efforts to prevent and address wildlife crimes. Last month, USAID’s Saving Species project supported the Vietnam CITES Management Authority to organize three regional trainings for 158 law enforcement officers, including environmental police, forest rangers, customs officers, border guards, and market surveillance officers from 46 provinces.
Comment
Make a general inquiry or suggest an improvement.