USAID Launches $14M Local Health System Sustainability Project in Vietnam

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) on December 15 launched a local health system sustainability project in Vietnam with a funding of $13.9 million in the 2020-2024 period, local media reported. The launching ceremony featured USAID/Viet Nam Mission Director Ann Marie Yastishock, Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen, representatives of the Ministry of Health’s agencies, and representatives from the Vietnam Social Security and the Ministry of Finance. The project works to strengthen the Vietnamese Government’s capacity to sustainably manage HIV and tuberculosis (TB) programs towards achieving the country’s commitment to end HIV and TB by 2030, said project Manager Sjoerd Postma. Speaking at the event, Ms. Yastishock said Vietnam now has 90% of HIV patients enrolled in social health insurance, and all treatment facilities can now be reimbursed for HIV services. Through the LHSS project, USAID will continue to work with the local government to strengthen public financial management systems for the health sector and find greater efficiencies in social health insurance, she added. (VietnamNews, moh, Nguoi Lao Dong, VOVworld, Vietnam Plus)