HANOI, December 15, 2020 -- Today, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) launched the Local Health System Sustainability (LHSS) project in Vietnam. The project aims to strengthen the Government of Vietnam’s capacity to sustainably manage HIV and tuberculosis (TB) programs towards achieving the country’s commitment to end HIV and TB by 2030. USAID/Vietnam Mission Director Ann Marie Yastishock, Vice Minister of Health Mr. Do Xuan Tuyen, representatives of Ministry of Health agencies, and other leaders from Vietnam Social Security and the Ministry of Finance attended the event.

Through the LHSS Vietnam project, USAID will continue to work with the Government of Vietnam, focusing on four main objectives: (1) Strengthening public financial management systems for the health sector and finding greater efficiencies in social health insurance; (2) Increasing and improving the efficiency of domestic financing of HIV prevention and treatment services; (3) Strengthening the capacity of  Vietnam’s supply chain management system; (4) Integrating TB services into social health insurance.

During the launch event, Mission Director Yastishock said, “I would like to congratulate the Government of Vietnam and the Ministry of Health on the successful transition of your HIV response from donor to domestic funding, with Social Health Insurance (SHI) as the primary financing mechanism. Vietnam now has 90 percent of HIV patients enrolled in SHI. All treatment facilities can now be reimbursed for HIV services. Most importantly, SHI funds are now used to procure anti-retroviral drugs, the most expensive component of an HIV response. This is a remarkable trajectory of success - one we are all proud to share with Vietnam. USAID, through PEPFAR, has supported the government in updating policies and building systems that would support this transition.” 

LHSS Vietnam is a four-year project (2020 – 2024) with a planned budget of $13.9 million, funded by the U.S. government through PEPFAR and USAID. It is a part of USAID’s global initiative in integrated health systems strengthening to help low- and middle-income countries transition to sustainable, self-financed health systems as a means to support access to universal health coverage.

To view photos of the event, visit: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmSFvpKQ 

To learn more about the project, visit: https://www.usaid.gov/vietnam/documents/fact-sheet-local-health-system-sustainability-project