Describing the primary care system capacity for the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases in rural Vietnam.

The primary care system in Vietnam has been shown to play a crucial role in disease prevention and health promotion. This study described the primary care system in a selected rural area in Vietnam in terms of its capacity for prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The study was conducted in 2011 in Dong Hy district, Thai Nguyen province-a rural community located in northern Vietnam. Mixed methods were used, including quantitative and qualitative and literature review approaches, to collect data on the current status of the six building blocks of the primary care system in Dong Hy district. Selected health workers and stakeholders in the selected healthcare facilities were surveyed. A description of Dong Hy district's primary care capacity for NCD prevention and control is reported. (i) Service delivery: The current practice in NCD prevention and treatment is mainly based on a single risk factor rather than a combination of cardiovascular disease risks. (ii) Governance: At the primary care level, multi-sectoral collaborations are limited, and there is insufficient integration of NCD preventive activities. (iii) Financing: A national budget for NCD prevention and control is lacking. The cost of treatment and medicines is high, whereas the health insurance scheme limits the list of available medicines and the reimbursement ceiling level. Health workers have low remuneration despite their important roles in NCD prevention. (iv) Human resources: The quantity and quality of health staff working at the primary care level, especially those in preventive medicine, are insufficient. (v) Information and research: The health information system in the district is weak, and there is no specific information system for collecting population-based NCD data. (vi) Medical products and technology: Not all essential equipment and medicines recommended by the WHO are always available at the commune health centre. The capacity of the primary care system in Vietnam is still inadequate to serve the NCD-related health needs of the population. There is an urgent need to improve the primary care capacity for NCD prevention and management in Vietnam.

Van Minh H ，Do YK ，Bautista MA ，Tuan Anh T ... -  《-》

Views by health professionals on the responsiveness of commune health stations regarding non-communicable diseases in urban Hanoi, Vietnam: a qualitative study.

Kien VD ，Van Minh H ，Giang KB ，Ng N ，Nguyen V ，Tuan LT ，Eriksson M ... -  《BMC HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH》

Capacity of Commune Health Stations in Chi Linh District, Hai Duong Province, for Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases.

Thi Thuy Nga N ，Thi My Anh B ，Nguyen Ngoc N ，Minh Diem D ，Duy Kien V ，Bich Phuong T ，Quynh Anh T ，Van Minh H ... -  《-》

Readiness, Availability and Utilization of Rural Vietnamese Health Facilities for Community Based Primary Care of Non-communicable Diseases: A CrossSectional Survey of 3 Provinces in Northern Vietnam.

Vietnam's network of commune health centers (CHCs) have historically managed acute infectious diseases and implemented national disease-specific vertical programs. Vietnam has undergone an epidemiological transition towards non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Limited data exist on Vietnamese CHC capacity to prevent, diagnose, and treat NCDs. In this paper, we assess NCD service readiness, availability, and utilization at rural CHCs in 3 provinces in northern Vietnam. Between January 2014 and April 2014, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of a representative sample of 89 rural CHCs from 3 provinces. Our study outcomes included service readiness, availability of equipment and medications, and utilization for five NCD conditions: hypertension, diabetes, chronic pulmonary diseases, cancer, and mental illnesses. NCD service availability was limited, except for mental health. Only 25% of CHCs indicated that they conducted activities focused on NCD prevention. Patient utilization of CHCs was approximately 223 visits per month or 8 visits per day. We found a statistically significant difference (P<.05) for NCD service availability, medication availability and CHC utilization among the 3 provinces studied. This is the first multi-site study on NCD service availability in Vietnam and the first study in a mountainous region consisting predominately of ethnic minorities. Despite strong government support for NCD prevention and control, Vietnam's current network of CHCs has limited NCD service capacity.

Duong DB ，Minh HV ，Ngo LH ，Ellner AL ... -  《International Journal of Health Policy and Management》

Primary healthcare system capacities for responding to storm and flood-related health problems: a case study from a rural district in central Vietnam.

Van Minh H ，Tuan Anh T ，Rocklöv J ，Bao Giang K ，Trang le Q ，Sahlen KG ，Nilsson M ，Weinehall L ... -  《Global Health Action》