NEW ZEALAND -VIET NAM HEALTH
TRUST NEWSLETTER
Patrons: Sir Randal Elliott KBE & Dr Brian McMahon
SEPTEMBER 2008
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THE TRUST BOARD AND ADMINISTRATION
Elected and appointed at the Annual General Meeting in Wellington
Chairman: David Morris
Vice Chairman: Brian McMahon
Board Members: John Dunbar, Harold Neal, Anne Johnson, Alison Young, Kate Gibson
Secretary & Treasurer: Judi Smitheram (part-time)
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CHAIRMANS REPORT
as presented at the November 2007 AGM:
It is 32 years since the last member of the New Zealand Surgical Team left Viet Nam at the end of the Viet
Nam war. (‘The American War’). It was to be another 15 years before the new ‘Doi Moi’ policy allowed the
first New Zealanders to return to Binh Dinh. It is also the 10th Anniversary of the establishment of the NZ –
VN Health Trust
We know that at that initial 1990 visit the Kiwis found a health service that was struggling to meet even the
basic needs of the population. The Province Hospital lacked medicines and equipment, the original Bong Son
Hospital had been destroyed towards the end of the war and had been relocated at some considerable distance
from the town, and the patients in the Quy Hoa Leprosarium were surviving in quite straightened circumstances. The 1990 visit to Quy Nhon also found that New Zealanders were still held in high regard by the
people of Binh Dinh and this led to the establishment of Aid initiatives mounted under the umbrella of the
VSA.
In the early 90’s New Zealanders who had served in Viet Nam during the war returned to provide training
programmes in the laboratories and in surgery at the Province and City Hospitals. In 1993 Volunteer
Ophthalmic Surgeons Overseas mounted their initial aid project to deal with leprosy related eye problems at
the Quy Hoa Leprosarium, and when Dr. Neave noted that the patients in Quy Hoa did not have any footwear,
the Pacific Leprosy Foundation gave US$2000.00 in cash to Jack Enwright to hand deliver to the Leprosarium.
This resulted in the establishment of the Footwear Workshop that has expanded to become such an important
component of the Leprosy programme in the Central Provinces of Viet Nam.
In 1996 a reunion of Medical Team members who had served in Binh Dinh was held in Wellington, and as a
result of discussions at that reunion a decision was made to found the New Zealand Health Trust that eventually led to the signing of the Charitable Trust Deed on 5 March 1997.
It is fair to say that the Trust has matured and accomplished a great deal over the ten years of its existence. Our
relationship with our partners in Binh Dinh has developed in a very satisfactory way and there is now an ease
of communication and mutual trust that makes for excellent working relationships.
The Binh Dinh Department of Health General Plan 2005 – 2010, the Development Plan Binh Dinh Department
of Health Period 2001 –2010, the agreements reached at the meeting between the Peoples’ Committee of Binh
Dinh, the Trust and the VSA held 12.10.05, and the establishment of the Steering Committee have all contributed to the ability of the Trust to better structure the projects in order to meet the requests from Binh Dinh.
During the year the Trust has made important changes in its administrative structure. Peter Skidmore is the
Manager and we have appointed a paid Secretary who operates from an office that has been rented from the
Pacific Leprosy Foundation. These are very significant initiatives and will certainly go a long way towards
solving such problems as maintaining communications with our Volunteers and the VSA, and meeting the
requirements of NZAID.
BINH DINH BLOOD TRANSFUSION DELEGATION VISITS NZ
In January 2009, Binh Dinh will open a Blood Donor Centre in Quy Nhon. This will be located on the
Province Hospital site on the corner presently occupied by volunteers of Volunteer Service Abroad NZ. In
March 2008, a delegation of 10 Vietnamese were hosted by the NZVNHT while they visited Christchurch and
observed the operation of NZ Blood and studied the production of blood components. This was a unique opportunity for key blood transfusion personnel from Binh Dinh together with two from Cho Ray hospital in
Saigon, to observe operations and study how an integrated blood transfusion service can operate. Soon after
their return to Quy Nhon, the Province Hospital Blood Bank commenced the production of blood components.
This process allows the blood from one donor to be centrifuged and separated into 3 parts (red cells, plasma
and platelets) and used to treat three patients.
Madame Nguyen Thi Thanh Binh, (yellow jacket) Vice Chairperson of the Binh Dinh People’s Committee was the delegation leader other members were from left to right:
Mr Phan Minh Tung, Leader of the Binh Dinh Youth Union.
Dr Nguyen Van Cot, Head of Province Hospital Laboratory.
Dr Ho Viet My, Vice Director of Binh Dinh Department of Health.
Mr Dao Duy Chap, President of the Binh Dinh Red Cross.
Mrs Lyn McMillan, Blood Bank, Nelson, Madam Binh,
Dr Phan Bich Lien, Vice Director of Cho Ray Blood Transfusion Center, Ho Chi Minh City.
Peter Skidmore, Endolab, Christchurch Hospital
Mr Pham Nhat Minh, Quality manager, Cho Ray Blood Transfusion Center, Ho Chi Minh City.
Dr Nguyen Dong, Vice Director of Binh Dinh General Province Hospital.
Dr Vo Dinh Loc, Blood Transfusion Service in Binh Dinh General Province Hospital.
Dr Le Quang Hung, Chief of Professional Department, Binh Dinh Department of Health.
Dr Loc (2nd from far right in photo) stayed in Christchurch for 3 weeks and had the opportunity to spend time
in the Blood Bank laboratory at Christchurch hospital. He is currently studying at Hue University and will
graduate in September 2009 as a Clinical Haematologist. With his qualifications and experience he will be an
ideal candidate to be the Clinical Director of Blood Transfusion Services in Binh Dinh.
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NEW VICE DIRECTOR IN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Dr Le Quang Hung (far right in photo) has been appointed as a Vice-Director, Binh Dinh Department of
Health. Dr Hung is a paediatrician and also the Manager of the NZAID-UNFPA-MCH project in Binh Dinh.
He fills a vacancy created when Vice Director, Pharmacist Huong resigned after being elected to the Senate.
Dr Hung recently visited New Zealand with the Blood Transfusion Delegation and also spent 2 weeks observing paediatric practice in both North & South islands.
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REFURBISHED MATERNAL & CHILD HEALTH CENTRE IN QUY NHON
The Quy Nhon Maternal & Child Health Centre (green
walls far left) has been expanded and reopened. As part
of the NZAID-UNFPA Maternal and Childrens health
project in Binh Dinh, NZAID has funded a building expansion and upgrade for the MCH Centre in Le Hong
Phong Street in Quy Nhon. After months of strained
discussion and negotiation, a neighboring building was
purchased (the one in the middle) and both were gutted.
This was photograph of a work in progress was taken in
June 2007. The white building was formerly known as
“the Neptune on the corner of Vo Thanh Street
The new centre brings together two buildings that
are joined by a common façade. It was re- occupied in May 2008. The new premises reduce the
overcrowding that was a feature of the previous
operation.
One NZVNHT project is focusing on reducing
the incidence of cervical cancer in the women of
Binh Dinh by improving the diagnosis and treatment of this often fatal disease. In November
2008 a delegation of Vietnamese specialists will
visit Christchurch to study the Cervical Screening
programme in New Zealand. The delegation will
be lead by Dr Nguyen thi Bich, Director of the
MCH centre and include doctors and laboratory
specialists who are involved in the diagnostic
testing using Cytology, Colposcopy and
Histology techniques.
EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTRE CONSTRUCTION —NZAID IN BINH DINH
Construction of early childhood classrooms is underway in Binh Dinh
Province. The first ground-breaking ceremonies were held at sites for
individual classrooms in Van Canh district.
This was followed by contracts for classroom construction in Phu Cat,
Tay Son and An Nhon districts.
The Early Childhood Care and Education project is building 11 early
childhood centres and 69 satellite classrooms. It began in June 2007
with a workshop to launch the project and to explain its objectives and
activities to education managers and early childhood workers in all 11
districts of the Province. Advocacy campaigns have been conducted
throughout the Province, alerting communities to the project and
educating them about the importance of early childhood education.
Severe flooding throughout the Province in October-November 2007
caused a number of delays, but the provincial Department of Education
and Training expects all facilities to be completed for the school year
in September 2008. The picture shows the foundations being inspected.
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GIA LAI HOSPITAL UPGRADE
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on July 14 agreed to add a malaria control project to a list of projects funded by the
Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
The new scheme aims to promote malaria prevention in high-risk communities and enhance capacity and sustainability of
the National Malaria Prevention and Control Programme.
The Health Ministry will be responsible for the signing of non-refundable aid project and its implementation in accordance with ODA management and use regulations.
The same day, the PM also gave the go-ahead to preferential loans provided by the Spanish government for five projects,
including four projects to upgrade hospitals in Quang Ngai, Bac Ninh, Gia Lai and Quang Nam Provinces and a project
on transport signal and control system in Da Nang city.__________________________________________________________________________
VOLUNTEER SERVICE ABROAD
VSA has 2 volunteers working with the Department of Health in Quy Nhon.
Adeline Tjia trained as a Medical laboratory Scientist at NZ Blood and in the Haematlogy labs at Auckland’s Middlemore Hospital. She will spend 2008 & 2009 helping to introduce a laboratory management system into Binh
Dinh laboratories based on the ISO standard 15189.
Nurse Ann de Bres will also send 2008 & 2009 training Vietnamese nurses to improve their skills and increase
the quality of patient nursing care.
Recently VSA looked to recruit volunteers with the following skills:
A nurse to assist the Binh Dinh Department of Health improve infection control in Binh Dinh hospitals.
A neonatal nurse trainer to assist the Binh Dinh Department of Health to improve neonatal nursing practices.
An experienced volunteer to introduce a preventative maintenance program for medical equipment.
A Pharmacist to improve drug management systems in Binh Dinh Provincal hospitals.
If you are a New Zealand citizen or have New Zealand permanent residency status and are interested in volunteering with VSA you should check their website: www.vsa.org.nz
For current vacancies and assignment descriptions, please contact:
Karnan Saba - email: ksaba@vsa.org.nz or phone: (04) 472 5759
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NZAID REVIEW OF THE NEW ZEALAND VIET NAM HEALTH TRUST
New Zealand Agency for International Development (NZAID) has recently reviewed the New` Zealand Vietnam Health Trust. The process which was driven by Mr John Egan, NZAID’s manager in Hanoi, included the
review team spending 2 weeks in Binh Dinh.
Three main areas of health project activity were reviewed in Vietnam. Firstly the projects developing paediatric services including those projects that complemented and provided technical backstopping to the NZAIDUNFPA-MCH project. Secondly projects focusing on orthopaedic surgery and primary trauma care. Thirdly
the laboratory based activities which included Blood bank and the introduction of a laboratory quality management system based on the International Standard 15189.
The full report of the review has now been released.
NZAID funding for the UNFPA—Maternal and Childrens Health project will cease at the end of 2008. NZAID
also plans on withdrawing from Binh Dinh at the end of 2010 and moving to neighbouring Gia Lai Province.
NZAID funding for the HealthTrust will cease in mid 2009.
These changes and the recommendations in the review report will mean a big adjustment to they way in which
NZVNHT is funded and delivers development assistance to Binh Dinh.
The Trust is currently considering a revised strategic plan which will become the basis of discussion with the
Binh Dinh Peoples Committee and Department of Health. This will be discussed at the Annual General
Meeting on Saturday 22nd November.
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Newsletter
One Postal &
AGM Vote
Tax Deduction
MEMBERSHIP, SUBSCRIPTIONS,
DONATIONS AND BENEFITS.
Patron
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The 2007 AGM increased subscriptions to $50.00
Trustee
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The subscription period is aligned them to the Trust’s
financial year of 1st July to 30th June.
Life Member
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Financial Member
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Donor
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Friend
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Volunteer
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Organisation
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For clarification, financial membership of the Trust is
defined in the Trust’s Deed.
RELATIONSHIP
A member is : “Any person who, or any group or organization, including any family group which, agrees with
the purposes of the Trust may, subject to the Board’s
approval, become a member of the Trust by application
in writing and upon payment of a subscription (if any).”
Subscriptions are not tax deductible.
Donations and Bequests are tax deductible and receipts
are issued for these.
Membership fees , Donations & Bequests assist the Trust
in working together with our Vietnamese partners in
improving health services in Binh Dinh.
TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE NEW ZEALAND—VIET NAM HEALTH TRUST
Subscriptions for membership are payable now and must be forwarded prior to any nomination to stand as a Board Member or to participate in the voting procedure, should this be necessary. Anyone who has already forwarded a subscription
will find a coloured dot on the address label on this letter.
Annual subscription
(July—June)
$50.00
Donation to NZVNHT (tax deductable)
$_____
Total:
$______
Receipt required Yes / No (Delete one)
Your Name: ______________________________
Email: __________________
Address: _________________________________
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Please forward with payment to the:
SECRETARY / TREASURER
NEW ZEALAND -VIET NAM HEALTH TRUST
PO BOX 2872
CHRISTCHURCH 8140
NEW ZEALAND
Or make deposit to the account of “NZ Viet Nam Health Trust “
ANZ 01 0797 0001245 02 (Please clearly identify your name for membership details and donations)
THANK YOU
To David Cooper and daughter Emily Cooper at Paradox Products Company Limited in Otago who
started Silkbody in 2002 and who support the NZVNHT with donations. Emily is taking the world
outdoor clothing market in her stride and also putting something back into Vietnam.
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SECRETARY / TREASURER
NEW ZEALAND -VIET NAM HEALTH TRUST
P O BOX 2872
CHRISTCHURCH MAIL CENTRE 8140
CHRISTCHURCH
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