Vietnam

Helen Keller International (HKI) has been supporting the blindness prevention program of Viet Nam in partnership with the Viet Nam National Institute of Ophthalmology (VNIO, which is also known as the National Eye Hospital or NEH) in Hanoi since 1990. Since 1994, HKI has also provided technical assistance to address vitamin A deficiency in the country. Current programs include:

• Cataract:
  • Training Centers for Cataract Surgery>> more
  • Comprehensive Cataract Care (CCC) Mode>> more
• Nutrition activities: Vitamin A Deficiency>> more

In 1994, the first cataract surgery training center for training of eye surgeons on extracapsular cataract extraction with intraocular lens implantation (ECCE with IOL) was established in northern Viet Nam at Nam Dinh City, Nam Ha Province. HKI provided an operating microscope for the hospital and instrument sets for each trainee. HKI also provided funds to transport those who needed cataract surgery but could not afford nor access transportation.

A follow-up assessment in December 1995 found that the surgical techniques introduced by HKI 20 months prior had become routine procedure for the trained ophthalmologists. By the end of 1995, a total of 1,332 cataract surgeries had been performed by the trainees.

Over the next two years, three more cataract training centers were established in three additional, underserved provinces. The annual number of cataract operations in Viet Nam increased from about 35,000 operations in 1995 to an estimated 100,000 in 2003. The ultimate goal is to perform enough operations to exceed the incidence of new cataract blindness in the country. By 2002, the government of Viet Nam was reaching its year-to-year targets for increasing the national cataract surgical rate (CSR).

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To assure quality outcomes in training, surgery, and post-operative care HKI worked with the NEH to establish the programmatic framework for and developed an innovative approach to cataract service delivery, the Comprehensive Cataract Care (CCC) Model. The CCC model is an integrated approach that attempts to bridge the medical interventions required to treat cataracts with a public health. This methodology aims to develop a sustainable, more comprehensive system that includes building community awareness, patient identification and referral, service promotion, and post-operative patient care. In addition, the CCC integrates a nutrition component with data collection to learn more about the links between nutrition, environment and family relations.

In order to reduce the number of cataract backlog in a sustainable way, in June 2007, HKI began to implement a project to enhance the national level community ophthalmology training capacity with VNIO while replicating the CCC model – including establishing an additional Center of Excellence. This project aims to ultimately improve the quality of and expand the reach of the CCC Project in the five partner provinces through their Centers of Excellence.

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HKI’s involvement in Viet Nam’s nutrition program started in 1994 when HKI provided technical assistance for the national vitamin A Deficiency survey. HKI’s work continued through involvement with the VAC (V=Vuon or Garden; A=Ao or Fish Pond; C=Chan nuoi or Animal husbandry) Project with the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN). The Project aimed to assess household food security and child nutritional status in the Dinh Hoa District of Thai Nguyen Province.

Program Partners

• Viet Nam National Institute of Ophthalmology (VNIO) also known as National Eye Hospital, (NEH) Hanoi
• National Institute of Nutrition, Hanoi
• Nam Dinh Provincial Hospital , Nam Dinh City
• Ha Tinh Provincial Hospital, Ha Tinh Town
• Binh Dinh Eye Center, Quy Nhon City
• Binh Thuan Center for Social Disease Control Hospital, Phan Thiet City
• Can Tho Eye and Maxillo- Dental Hospital, Can Tho City

Key Staff

Le Ba Quynh, Country Director
Pham Quoc Hung, M.D., M.P.H., Program Coordinator- Eye Health
Pham Kim Ngoc, Administrative and Finance Officer

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