ICEHA's Programs

Program Overview
ICEHA has been operational in Vietnam since March 2002. The organization entered Vietnam by invitation of a Vietnamese NGO, the Highland Education Development Organization (HEDO), and the MOH at that time.

Collaboration HEDO-ICEHA: Under the HEDO-ICEHA collaboration, HEDO and ICEHA have implemented 16 three day training seminars on HIV prevention and care for local healthcare workers at the provincial level in Langson, Lao Cai, Hoa Binh, Ninh Binh, Bac Giang, Cao Bang, Lai Chau (2008) and Dien Bien Phu (2008). Typically ICEHA has provided the content of the seminars while HEDO has taken care of all local logistics. The seminars are run under the auspices of the provincial health authorities and the People’s Party Committee in each province and are attended by 60 - 90 local healthcare workers. Each province receives both basic and advanced level seminars. This program is set to expand further over the next several years and expand gradually to include mentoring as well.

Collaboration Family Health International (FHI)-ICEHA: HIV care and AIDS treatment: Since March 2005, ICEHA has worked in sub-contract with FHI, providing ICEHA clinical mentors to Vietnamese clinics that were in the start-up phase of providing HIV care and ART. The typical continuous clinical mentoring period needed ranged between 3 to 6 months. The clinics that received ICEHA clinical mentors included: Binh Thanh OPC, District 8, Cam Pha, Can Tho, Thot Not, Than Chau, Thu Duc, Van Don, National Pediatric Hospital 1 and 2 (HCMC). A recent audit by USAID showed that these clinics remain centers of excellence, much beyond the period that they received clinical mentoring.

Collaboration FHI-ICEHA: methadone and palliative care: Most recently ICEHA clinical mentors have also provided mentoring at the following methadone clinic sites in Ho Chi Minh City: District 4, District 6, Binh Thanh District and in Hai Phong: Le Than Clinic and Thuy Nguyen Clinic. In addition, ICEHA clinical mentors were sourced to help write the national guidelines for palliative care and pain management in Vietnam.

Achievements

• Clinics throughout the country have been “mentored out” and are now caring for patients on their own without assistance from foreign clinical mentors. As a result, thousands of patients are now receiving quality HIV care and antiretroviral medications are being provided to those in need. The local providers are not only able to provide care to their own patients but are now HIV experts in their province and are training other Vietnamese healthcare workers.

Clinical Mentor Volunteers Needed

• Adult and pediatric HIV specialists, as well as those with experience with IV drug users, are needed throughout 2008 in Vietnam. Non-medical professionals with significant HIV experience (including social workers and health educators) are also welcome to apply.
• The minimum time commitment for clinical mentors is 6 weeks. Expenses are paid.
• To apply, visit the “Volunteers” section of our website.