In the Vietnam SUNI -SEA Project advocacy video, Ms Ninh Thi Hoa, Member of Lien Huy Intergenerational Self-Help Club, in Ninh Binh province, shared her story:
“Before joining the club, I had never received a health check-up. At the club screening event, I was detected to be at high risk of hypertension and was referred to the commune health station. I was diagnosed with hypertension and given a monthly prescription of medicine. The club health volunteers and commune health station staff advised me to exercise, follow a healthy diet and take medicines regularly, eat more fruits and drink a lot of water. Thanks to the club, my hypertension was detected early and I started treatment. My condition has now improved.”
The video offers a vivid portrayal of the project’s implementation process, showcasing the NCD interventions, and the strategic plan for expanding the project. It was truly uplifting to observe how the project activities positively impacted not only at individual level but also the health system itself, through the empowerment of community-based organisations, and the reinforcement of primary healthcare and strengthening of collaboration and linkages between the community and the primary health care facility.
In Vietnam, HelpAge International in Vietnam worked in collaboration with the Vietnam Association of the Elderly (VAE) and 59 Intergenerational Self-Help Clubs (ISHCs) in two provinces for implementing the project, in partnership with the Health Strategy and Policy Institute – Ministry of Health, and the Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy.