PATH, U.S. CDC Support Vietnam in Enhancing Infection Control Capabilities

The Extended Infection Control and Disease Investigation Unit (EICI) at Hue Central Hospital, has collaborated with the U.S.-based organization PATH and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to hold a workshop to evaluate the effectiveness and sustainability of the 2022-2024 project for establishing and operating an extended infection control and investigation unit.

The workshop, which included nearly 100 participants from Hue Central Hospital, Cho Ray Hospital, the Central Tropical Diseases Hospital, as well as experts from PATH and U.S. CDC, was conducted both in-person and online on July 31. This event was part of the Ministry of Health’s plan to implement model hospitals for infection control.

Addressing the event, Ms. Nguyen To Nhu, PATH program director in Vietnam, stated that over the past three years, PATH and U.S. CDC have organized numerous workshops, training sessions, and monitoring activities to support hospitals in enhancing their capabilities.

Ms. Lindsay Kim, director of Global Health Security Programs at U.S. CDC Vietnam, noted that during the 2022-2024 period, participating hospitals have made significant progress. The knowledge and experience shared by CDC experts on outbreak investigation have helped hospitals develop their own procedures for investigating and responding to outbreaks, improving patient outcomes, and reducing the spread both within hospitals and in the community.

Ms. Kim also indicated that by 2026, the U.S. CDC plans to continue supporting activities to build and enhance infection control capabilities, improve antibiotic resistance management, and ensure rational antibiotic use, which is crucial for improving patient care quality and economic efficiency in Vietnamese hospitals.

With the active support from PATH and U.S. CDC, the Ministry of Health has expanded from six model infection control hospitals in 2017 to 95 hospitals today.

Earlier, on July 30, PATH and the U.S. CDC conducted a training session on the "Surveillance, Detection, and Response Procedures for Hospital-Acquired Infection Outbreaks." Experts shared experiences and answered questions to help hospitals develop suitable procedures and better prepare for outbreak situations.

(Thoi Dai)