Associate Professor (Assoc. Prof.) Nguyen Khac Minh, Rector of Da Nang University of Medical Technology and Pharmacy speaks at the launching ceremony
The two 9-month courses in Speech and Language Therapy (SALT), and Physical Therapy (PT), were jointly launched by the Medical Committee Netherlands – Vietnam (MCNV) and the Da Nang University of Medical Technology and Pharmacy (UMTP) on April 26, 2022, as part of Inclusion 1 & 2 projects.
The course launching event brought together participants from the Center for Community Health Research and Development (CCRD), MCNV, Da Nang UMTP, in-charge lecturers of the two courses and 48 trainees who are nurses, rehabilitation technicians and medical staff working in hospitals and health facilities in Thua Thien Hue, Quang Nam, Quang Tri, Kon Tum and Binh Dinh provinces.
The courses are conducted as part of Inclusion 1 & 2 projects, funded by USAID, with the managing agency being the National Action Centre for Toxic Chemicals and Environmental Treatment (NACCET) under Chemical Command, the Ministry of Defense. The Center for Creative Initiatives in Health and Population (CCIHP) and (CCRD) are two management awardees.
As the implementing partner of the project, MCNV strives to achieve several objectives, including “implementing medium-term training to provide new staff participating in rehabilitation (rehab) professional activities”. The objective will be accomplished through the cooperation with several medical universities, including the Danang UMTP.
Speaking at the event, Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Khac Minh, Rector of Da Nang UMTP said: “As one of the long-standing institutions providing rehab training in Vietnam, Da Nang UMTP has received tremendous support from international partners, including MCNV. We highly treasure the contribution of MCNV to enhancing rehab manpower in the Central and Central Highland region.”
Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Khac Minh at the same time noted that: “Based on several successful joint projects with MCNV, especially the most recent project “Developing SALT education in Vietnam”, the Da Nang UMTP hopes to make positive contribution to the 9-month courses and Inclusion projects as a whole, in order to adequately address the shortage of rehab manpower in Vietnam.
On behalf of the management awardees and implementation awardee, MCNV Vietnam Country Director, MSc. MD. Pham Dung expressed his confidence in Da Nang UMTP with strong expertise and plenty of experiences in rehab education. He particularly highlighted the modern approach and working methods of Danang UMTP in the past 5 years, thanks to the collaboration with Australian leading experts in SALT.
According to MCNV Vietnam Country Director, the two courses will provide useful knowledge to the trainees, those who are not only involved in the projects from the technical perspective, but are expected to become core manpower of rehab professionals in the long run, contributing to the betterment of the healthcare for the people in Vietnam.
MSc. MD. Pham Dung also affirmed MCNV’s commitment to seeking resources for further development of rehab human resource training in Danang UMTP as well as the rehab system.
If PT is widely known to the public in Vietnam, SALT is still a new profession. At the launching ceremony, some trainees of SALT course shared with us their feelings and expectations.
Ho Si Tam Minh has been working as a PT in Quang Tri General Hospital for three years. Minh acquired his knowledge of SALT via three fundamental SALT modules taken in college and has applied what he had learnt to provide basic support to the patients with difficulties in swallowing and speech. However, with limited understandings, he is unable to conduct SALT assessment, diagnosis and identification of intervention objectives on his own. He therefore expected the 9-month course to equip him with sufficient knowledge and skills, to provide better support to patients with swallow disorder. He furthermore hoped to possess more in-depth skills to assist post intensive care patients, especially after taking off machine ventilator.
Another trainee, Vo Thi Hoa (Thua Thien Hue Rehabilitation Hospital) said: My background is nursing, but I am so passionate about the profession of rehab that I have managed to complete a 12-month PT course earlier. I am very excited to take part in the 9-month SALT. I love SALT because it is an interesting and meaningful profession with high level of applicability in daily life. I really look forward to working in SALT after completing the training”, she said.
The two courses will be implemented right after the launching ceremony and are expected to contribute in manpower improvement of multidisciplinary rehab in five provinces, providing high-quality rehab services to the people of Vietnam./.
