Achievements 2003

October 13 to November 16, 2003

We deeply appreciate the dedication of the medical mission team members, and the contributions of our supporters and donors. They have allowed us to serve the children of Vietnam.

Our medical mission 2003 achieved new highlights on many fronts:

The largest medical team: 156 participants (47 physicians, 3 dentists, 5 pharmacists, 1 optometrist, 16 nurses, 2 physician-assistants, 4 audiologists, 1 therapist, 4 engineers, 7 medical students & 39 volunteers) with many medical specialties represented: anesthesia, audiology, family & internal medicine, general & pediatric surgery, obstetrics-gynecology, ophthalmology, radiology, pathology, general pediatrics & pediatric subspecialties of emergency/critical care and neonatology, and plastic/reconstructive surgery.
The first national conference on Medical Response to Disasters at the School of Medicine and Pharmacy, HoChiMinh City Vietnam.
A most active training team which conducted multiple Educational conferences in HochiMinh City, Hanoi and the provinces of Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, and Ha Nam.

Accomplishments:

Education and Training:

The first National Conference on Disaster Medicine was presented at the School of Medicine and Pharmacy, HoChiMinh City November 6-8, as a joint program with Project Outreach and Northwest Medical Team International. It attracted 252 attendees representing over 40 provinces, who enthusiastically participated into the 6 workshops (2 pre-hospital care and 4 hospital care workshops). The attendees received a Certificate upon completion and requested further in-depth training in the future.
The second National Pediatric Surgery conference at the National Hospital of Pediatrics, Hanoi on November 13-14, gathered 120 surgeons. Our team presented on topics of liver transplantation, congenital abdominal defects, neurogenic bladder and imaging of abdominal tumors.
The neonatal team presented a Neonatology Update conference November 13 at the National Hospital for Pediatrics, on topics of infections, jaundice and ventilation management. The team demonstrated neonatal resuscitation at Thanh Hoa Women’s Hospital.§ Dr. McPherson taught audiology and reviewed the project for Newborn Screening to be implemented in 2004 by the staff at the department of Rehabilitation, National Hospital of Pediatrics.
Our obstetrician perinatologist worked at the Women’s Hospitals of Thanh Hoa and Hanoi, lecturing and seeing patients with the staff on the ward, the clinic and in the operating room.§ Conferences in the provinces of Thai Nguyen and Thanh Hoa, presenting on trauma evaluation and treatment, prehospital care, and issues in cancer management.
Training courses for the medical staff at Ha Nam General Hospital included Neonatal Resuscitation, Asthma management and management of trauma. The physicians enthusiastically practiced on prehospital stabilization and transport.
Ha Nam staff physicians worked with our team in the areas of Anesthesia, Ophthalmology, Maxillofacial and Otolaryngologic surgeries in the operating room and on the ward.

Surgical Repair:

98 patients received corrective operations (49 ophthalmology cases, 45 reconstructive maxillofacial cases, 2 ENT and 1 urology cases) at Ha Nam General Hospital.
11 young children with cleft palate from Hoa Binh province received surgical correction, with the agreement of hospital administration.
A social fund was set up to assist patients, and they received medicines, nutritional supplements and gift packs. Each family from Hoa Binh returned home with 500,000VND (approximately $33US).

Commune clinics:

At the communes of Trung Luong, Tien Tan and Liem Tuyen, about 1,275 patients were medically treated and received oral health and vision care.
Project Vietnam provided much needed multivitamins, antiparasitic, Iron-Folate & antalgic-decongestant medicines, along with patient education booklets.
Appropriate follow-up by local commune personnel was arranged whenever appropriate. Basic diagnostic tools, medicines, and education materials for commune staff were donated.

Ha Nam schools:

The Primary care team administered comprehensive physical exams (including vision, hearing and anemia testing) and 1,100 gifts of backpacks with school materials to Tran Phu middle school and Dong Hoa elementary school. The children also received oral and vision care services.

Equipment and Medicine donation: ($50,000 value)

To the National Hospital of Pediatrics: surgical supplies and equipment, books and neonatal supplies, also a gift of Vitamin K for the pilot project in the province of Ha Tay.
To the Skills Lab at the School of Medicine and hospitals, HoChiMinh City: books and medical supplies, and a transport board from Northwest Medical Team International.
To Ha Nam General Hospital: 2 oxygen concentrators, 1 monitor, 1 oximeter, 2 nebulizers, a large number of surgical instruments, surgical supplies and medicines

Special projects

Vitamin K for Newborn program: Vietnamese newborn suffer from highest rate of bleeding in the brain because of Vitamin K deficiency causing sudden death and brain damage. This can be prevented with one injection of Vitamin K after birth, at a cost of 50 cents per baby. The Ministry of Health endorsed a pilot project in Ha Tay province starting in 2002. Because of the successful results, Vitamin K injection after birth became a national policy in January 2003. However continued work is needed to insure uniform implementation, especially in the rural areas where needs are greatest.
Audiology program: with the help of Dr. David McPherson, Department Chairman of Audiology at Brigham Young University, the National Hospital for Pediatrics is poised to start a program for hearing testing for 10,000 newborn in Hanoi and suburbs, to establish incidence of congenital hearing loss. Previous surveys revealed as high as 34% hearing loss in Vietnamese children.
Medical Technology Development: Kirk Evans, lead engineer for Project Vietnam, has volunteered at the National Hospital for Pediatrics since October 2002, and developed a local version of the CPAP, a simple respiratory device with great promise of improving substantially newborn survival. The device is currently undergoing clinical trials in order to gain Ministry of Health approval. Project Vietnam is actively fundraising for what will be the first medical equipment manufactured in Vietnam.
Pediatric Nursing training at the National Hospital for Pediatrics: Kathye Gentry, nursing educator for Project Vietnam, has recognized the need to raise standards of pediatric nursing. A Skills center is being developed at the National Hospital of Pediatrics with equipment funding by East Meets West Foundation. This will represent the first training program for pediatric nursing care in Vietnam.
Birth Defects Program in Hoa Binh province: Dr. James Norris has instigated this project to train local health personnel to evaluate, treat and monitor children mainly with orofacial deformities. After the initial training in February 2003, which identified 118 affected children, Dr. Norris is spending 2 weeks in November to continue the work and provide followup care for the children operated during the medical mission 2003. An orofacial team is currently in development with scholarships funded by Project Vietnam.
Pilot Projects in Hoa Binh province: a commune-based hypertension project, a school-based nutrition support at Dan Hoa elementary school, and school health at Tu Ly middle school, are ongoing programs allowing empowerment of local school and healthcare personnel.