As a part of USAID’s disabilities program in Vietnam, USAID funds VietHealth - a local non-governmental organization - to implement the Disabilities Integration of Services and Therapies Network for Capacity and Treatment activity in three Vietnamese provinces, including Tay Ninh, Dong Nai, and Binh Phuoc. On May 11, USAID and VietHealth worked with local provincial authorities to launch the activity in a second location - Dong Nai province. The activity focuses on improving the detection of disabilities and designing interventions for children with mobility and/or developmental disabilities up to the age of six. In addition, the activity also provides training on rehabilitation and special education to commune, district and provincial level health practitioners, kindergarten teachers, and family members.

So What? One of USAID’s main goals in Vietnam is to create sustainable models for inclusion of persons with disabilities through early detection and screening. Expanding the reach of the activity from Tay Ninh to a second province - Dong Nai - will provide direct assistance to roughly 900 additional children and strengthen the provincial health care delivery system serving vulnerable persons.