US agency in tie-up with Hanoi hospital to improve stroke care

The support will be provided through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

USAID’s mission director in Vietnam, Aler Grubbs, oversaw on Tuesday the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Bach Mai and the Federation Handicap International for enhancing the former’s status as a national and Mekong sub-regional center for stroke care.

Under the MOU, in the next two years the two sides will develop a specialized workforce by supporting postgraduate training specializing in stroke and cerebrovascular disease for doctors, strengthen the delivery of multidisciplinary services for patients with specific attention to ensuring a continuum of care throughout the care pathway, foster coordination, share good practices and technical support through national and international networks, and develop research capacities at the hospital's stroke and rehabilitation centers.

There are 200,000 stroke victims in Vietnam every year, among the highest rates of any country.

Stroke is the second most common cause of death in the country.

Even if victims survive, they suffer from a high rate of disability, according to the Vietnam Association for Rehabilitation.

The United States Mission to Vietnam and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control have been partners for over 30 years with Bach Mai Hospital, one of the leading institutions for rehabilitation in Vietnam.

The multi-specialty hospital also offers services like internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics, and emergency care.

It is affiliated with several medical schools and serves as a crucial training ground for medical students.