On April 25, 2019 in Hue City and April 26, 2019 in Tam Ky City, MCNV together with Center for Creative Initiatives in Health and Population (CCIHP) and Provincial Department of Health in Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam organized the Launching Ceremony of the Project “Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation Services Supporting Children with Intellectual and Developmental disabilities to thrive” (hereafter called I-THRIVE). In each province, about 60 participants attended the event including people from USAID; The Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Association (VUSTA); Ministry of Health; Provincial People’s committee; Provincial Department of Health and related departments; Da Nang University of Medical Technology and Pharmacy (UMTP); Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy (UMP); Association of People with Disabilities (PWDs); Provincial hospitals and district health centers those involved in the project; and other organizations who have been working on supporting PWDs in the 2 provinces. The Memorandum of Agreement was officially signed between CCIHP, MCNV and Quang Nam Department of Health.
The I-THRIVE Project focuses on 3 objectives:
- To increase the capacity of rehabilitation professionals at provincial and district level in occupational therapy (OT), speech and language therapy (SALT), and physical therapy (PT);
- To develop interdisciplinary rehabilitation services and foster parents-mediated intervention to children with intellectual and developmental with disabilities (IDDs);
- To strengthen the content and relevance of nation guidelines on rehabilitation and care for children living with IDDs, with a focus on Autism Spectrum Disorders, and interdisciplinary rehabilitation services.
MCNV is responsible for conducting activities under objective 1, in collaboration with international and national universities. The Project is expected to train 24 rehabilitation technicians – specialized in OT, 24 rehabilitation technicians – specialized in SALT, and 9 rehabilitation technician – specialized in PT for provincial hospitals and district health centers in Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam Provinces, with focusing on district level. After attending 1-year theoretical and practical training in Da Nang UMTP and Hue UMP, all 57 participants will be provided hand-on coaching in their working facilities by international volunteers. In addition, the Project will also provide provincial hospitals and district health centers basic rehabilitation equipment.
The I-THRIVE Project is sponsored by USAID, VUSTA is Line Management Agency, CCIHP is the Project Implementing Partner and MCNV is Co-Implementing Partner. Project duration is 3 years, from November, 2018 to October, 2021. Project locations are Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam provinces. The Project is expected to pilot the model of interdisciplinary rehabilitation services at provincial and district levels in Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam provinces in order to widely apply in other areas afterwards.
