On 05 May 06, 2018, in the city of Phủ Li, Ha Nam province took up workshops on the launch and planning of local activities in Vietnam for environmental health (Vietnam Local Works for Environmental Health) is sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in the 5-year period from 2017 – 2022. The project aims to build a model of evidence-based cooperation with the participation of local organizations and mobilize local resources to adapt and solve water pollution and environmental health issues effectively in poor communes in the provinces of Thanh chemistry and Henan.
The seminar is attended by 61 delegates who are representatives of provincial local government: Department of Health, Department of Resources and Environment, Department of Education and Training, Center for Disease Control, Clean Water Center and sanitation of rural environment, representatives of the district-level local government: The District People’s Committee , District Medical Center, District Women’s Association, representatives of the United States International Development Agency in Vietnam, representatives from the social and community governments: People’s committees, commune medical stations, Relief Society, Farmers ‘ Association, rural manager, teachers, people, and project partners: Institute of Social Medicine Research , The non-governmental organization Information Center, Public Health University.
During operations, the HA Nam radio and television station and the media: the Propaganda magazine-the Radio and Religion Board recorded the information about the seminar and was released on the provincial News at 18:00 on the same day.
The seminar was carried out with objectives such as official announcement with local authorities and the community on the decision to approve the project; Introducing Project Sponsor (U.S. Agency for International Development-USAID) and officially launched project in Ha Nam province; Introducing common objectives, deployment locations and project-specific objectives; and introduce project groups, partners, and participating units; Presentation and discussion of findings/findings from community-based needs assessment activities in both Van Xa and Ngoc son communes; Identify, prioritize ratings, and plan activities to address issues/challenges discovered in community-based demand assessment; Discuss the desired outcomes and risk/challenges that may occur; and discuss the activities that are being deployed by local agencies, organizations, and potential resources to address identified issues.
Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Anh-deputy director of the Center for Disease Control of Ha Nam Province on behalf of the organizers declared the reason, introduced delegates and contents of the seminar program. Next is Mr. Nguyen Thi Khai-deputy director of the Ha Nam Health department on behalf of the HA Nam medical industry leaders to declare the opening of the seminar. He stated the role of the health department in Health systems, the economic situation, the use of clean water and hygienic housing in recent times. Although the economic situation of the people has improved, the access to tap water is easier and many people use self-septic toilets, however there are still most people who have not believed in the quality of tap water and the use of unhygienic pepper as the standard of the Ministry of Health. He instead thanked the donor and PHAD Institute for bringing the project to Ha Nam Province to improve the situation of clean water and sanitation of the local environment.
Mei Mei Peng represented the sponsor of the International Development Agency (USAID) to emphasize USAID’s goals as well as the project as a connection between local organizations to solve the problem of water pollution and improve the health of people to be long-term and sustainable.
Mr. Nguyen Kieu Cuong – Project director for introduction of Project Overview. He presents the context and steps of project development, milestones and a number of project initiatives in the coming period. Mr. Nguyen Trung War-technical director of the project presented the results of the demand assessment based on the community deployed midweek between Apr. 2018 in Ngoc son commune and Kim van district. He presented problems that existed in two communes so that the people grasped the problem and expected to make proposals.
The afternoon of the same day, delegates and organizers continued the project scheduling workshop. The objective of the workshop is (1) identification, priority ranking and planning for activities to solve the problems/challenges detected in the community based demand assessment; (2) discussing the desired outcomes and risk/challenges that may occur. In order for the discussion to be favorable, the organizers divided the two communes into two groups. The provincial, district, and project partners together stay and participate in discussions with each of the following topics: Communication about the importance of clean water; Support poor households, households, and households installing water meter (100%) and support 50% of the cost to the remaining households; Training provides knowledge for people to believe in clean water quality; The training provides knowledge to people about the use of safe plant protection pills.
At the end of the show, Mr. Nguyen Kieu Cuong on behalf of the project to thank the enthusiastic participation of local departments and people. Mr. Nguyen Thanh Duong-director of KSBT Center closes the seminar program and closing the workshop. The seminar program took place successfully with the full representation of local levels and achieve the objectives of the seminar, affirming the commitment of local government and the interest of people to the project. Through the project planning seminar, the project officer has grasped the wishes of the people to proceed with the next operational preparation.
