A workshop themed ‘Enhancing the Capacity of Rehabilitation Professionals’ took place in Thua Thien – Hue Province on January 21^st, 2021.

The workshop was held as part of the ‘Interdisciplinary rehabilitation services supporting children with intellectual and developmental disabilities to thrive’ (I-THRIVE) project.

I-THRIVE is sponsored by the US Agency of International Development (USAID) with the Center for Creative Initiatives in Health and Population (CCIHP) being implementing partner.

MCNV is in charge of conducting one of I-THRIVE’s three objectives, which is enhancing the capacity of rehabilitation professionals at provincial and district levels through short full-time in-service training and coaching.

The training was conducted by the Hue University of Medicines and Pharmacy and Da Nang University of Medical Technology and Pharmacy, via the model of three 12-month courses covering three key areas of Rehabilitation Techniques, which are Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, and Physio Therapy.

During the 12-month training, the trainees had chance to participate in both theory and practice session at the Universities as well as clinical practice at hospitals.

The workshop held on January 21^st, 2021 aimed to review the three training courses which were concluded in December 2020, awarding the Certificate of Graduation to the trainees and discuss on clinical practice support at targeted provincial hospitals and district health centers, and effective management of the newly-graduated rehabilitation professionals.

In the last 1 year, all of the 80 trainees have been qualified for graduation, of which 30 are health workers from Thua Thien-Hue Province.

Speaking at the event, MCNV Country Director, Dr. Pham Dung expressed his pleasant at the results of the trainings, noting the efforts of the trainees and trainers in overcoming multi difficulties to fulfill the course. He furthermore emphasized the importance of developing multidisciplinary approached rehabilitation workforce and services in province and district facilities.

As part of the workshop, delegates of Thua Thien – Hue provincial Department of Health, local hospitals and district health centers took part in discussion on issues regarding the quality of human resources management in local facilities and public awareness raising campaign./.

An orientation workshop for freshmen was held on January 20, 2021 by the Faculty of Physiotherapy/Rehabilitation, Hai Duong Medical Technical University (HMTU).

The event aims to facilitate students in making the optimal choice of major for their coming learning journey and career. Currently, the Faculty is offering two majors: Physio Therapy (PT) and Occupational Therapy (OT).

This year, the Faculty welcomes 90 new students who have just got admitted for the Bachelor program period 2020-2024.

The workshop has provided the freshmen relevant information and understanding on the role of Rehabilitation in the healthcare system, the scope of works, its clients and career opportunity. The information was brought to the students by HMTU’s Academic Board, the University’s Dean of Physiotherapy/Rehabilitation Faculty, and especially two lecturers who have graduated from the Bachelor Program in OT and are now pursuing the Master Program in OT in Manipal Academy of Higher Education (India).

The sharing has given the first year students the confidence to make their choice of major, of which many have made the decision to register for OT.

HMTU is one of the two medical Universities which have been working with MCNV in developing OT professionals in Vietnam. During the four year of 2016-2020, via Humanity and Inclusion, with the sponsorship of USAID, Vietnam’s first batch of Bachelor in OT has graduated from HMTU. Since their graduation, all of the 36 degree holders have been working in OT in public, private hospital and healthcare facilities.

MCNV and HMTU hope that, for the academic 2020-2024, more and more students will register for OT, contributing to filling in the gap of human resources in this meaningful and promising profession./.

PROSPER project just receives a grant of VND 850 million (~ EUR 33,000) from the An Vui Fund by Mr. Dai Nghia, a celebrity in Vietnamese showbiz who is well-known for both of his talent and strong commitment to helping disadvantaged communities.

The cash, donated by Mr.Dai Nghia, his fellow artists and friends, will be used to plant 128,500 trees, contributing to healing 15 ‘wounds’ Quang Tri forests are struggling with after the flashfloods and landslides last October and November.

On the morning of January 22, together with a team of more than 20 fellow artists, Mr.Dai Nghia traveled to Chenh Venh village, Huong Hoa district, Quang Tri province to hand over the donation to MCNV.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr.Dai Nghia said:

“For the recent few years, I’ve been feeling the pain of the loss of forests caused by deforestation, fire and disaster. That’s why I decided to do something to help the nature heal its pains. I know, I cannot do it alone. I’ve spent several years to search for a companion on this journey”.

“When I was introduced to MCNV during a business trip to Quang Tri, I felt like I have found the trust-worthy companion that I’ve been looking for. MCNV, as I know, is a Dutch NGO with lots of projects contributing to supporting disadvantaged communites.”

In response to the MC’s meaningful speech, Mr.Nguyen Dinh Dai, MCNV Chief of Central Vietnam Office expressed his heartfelt thank to Mr.Dai Nghia and all donors.

“We’ve been used to receive donation from overseas donors, mostly from Europe, in particular, the Netherlands. Nowadays, we begin to receive more support from Vietnamese individual and business donors. In the last several years, our donors have shifted the model of support from giving the ‘fish’ to giving the ‘fishing rod’ to the beneficiaries.”

“Today, instead of ‘giving fishing rod’, our sponsors focuses on the partnership with beneficiaries, like the partnership between businesses and farmers, or the collaboration between sponsors and organizations. The grant from Mr.Dai Nghia signifies this new trend of sponsorship, which will generate long-term and sustainable results”.” Mr.Dai noted.

The handover of grant was followed by trees planting activity by Mr.Dai Nghia, the team of artists, Huong Hoa district leader and MCNV representative.

As part of the tree planting trip, on two days (Jan 21 and Jan 22), the group of artists presented 1,000 packs of gifts (rice, cooking oil, dried food) to 1,000 ethnic minority households in Huong Hoa district, Quang Tri province./.

The first Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Lab was officially handed over to Hue University of Medicines and Pharmacy (UMP) by MCNV on January 21.

The ADL Lab was built as part of the project ‘Interdisciplinary rehabilitation services supporting children with intellectual and developmental disabilities to thrive’ (I-THRIVE).

I-THRIVE is sponsored by the US Agency of International Development (USAID) with the Center for Creative Initiatives in Health and Population (CCIHP) being implementing partner. The project site is located in two Central provinces of Quang Nam and Thua Thien – Hue.

In Thua Thien – Hue, the project’s major local partner is Hue University of Medicines and Pharmacy (UMP). The University has been working with CCIHP to pilot a model of interdisciplinary rehabilitation services supporting children with autism, and collaborate with MCNV in capacity building for rehabilitation professionals.

ADL Lab plays a significant part in training, as it is used as a simulated setting to equip the students with relevant skills to help patients increase their independence in daily living.

As part of I-THRIVE project, Hue UMP has received requisite technical and financial support to build two ADL Labs: one for adults and one for children.

The ADL Lab for Adults in Hue UMP was completed in January 2021 with the support of MCNV. Designed as a simulated apartment area, the ADL Lab includes a bathroom, toilet, a bed, a sitting area, dinning area and a kitchen.

On the afternoon of January 21, the ADL Lab was officially inaugurated and handed over to the Hue UMP in a ceremony attended by representatives of USAID, CCHIHP and MCNV.

*As part of I-THRIVE project, on the morning of January 21, a workshop themed ‘Enhancing the capability of Rehabilitation Professionals’ was held. In the event, 30 health workers in provincial/district hospitals and health centers in Thua Thien – Hue province were awarded with the Certificate of Graduation from the 12-month course in Physio Therapy, Speech Therapy and Occupational Therapy.