The Government of Vietnam estimates that there are seven million people with disabilities in Vietnam. However, rehabilitation services in the country are far below international standards and are mostly only provided in large cities. Since 2015, USAID has helped Vietnam train and develop its rehabilitation workforce, assisted in developing service standards to improve quality, and advocated for rehabilitation services to be covered by social health insurance. On September 28, at a two-day workshop in Hanoi co-hosted by the Ministry of Health and the Vietnam Rehabilitation Association, USAID was awarded a certificate of appreciation to recognize its valuable support to rehabilitation development assistance in Vietnam. The workshop was attended by almost 200 local and international participants, including the President of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists. Vietnamese and international experts shared best practices and discussed the path forward for developing the rehabilitation sector in Vietnam.

So What? As USAID continues to work with Vietnam to create sustainable models for inclusion of persons with disabilities, recognition of USAID support validates progress made and strengthens the way forward, ultimately resulting in Vietnam’s self-reliance.