CORDAID and its predecessors Bilance and Memisa, have been supporting health projects in Vietnam for several years. CORDAID’s support has been provided either directly or indirectly through other international NGOs, including CIDSE and Medicine Du Monde (MDM), and primarily focussing on women and children, and HIV/AIDS prevention at key intervention areas. Current CORDAID supported projects include district health stations in Lap Thach – Phu Tho province, Tien Hai – Thai Binh province, Huong Tra – Hue, Da Nang city - Quang Nam province, Tien Yen – Thai Nguyen province, My Hao – Hung Yen province and Hanoi.

In 2003, an agreement was struck between CORDAID and CIHP to conduct a review of current CORDAID supported projects in Vietnam and to help formulate the "Common programming" of CORDAID supports in Vietnam for the next three-year period (2004-2006). CIHP was requested to continue providing technical assistance for CORDAID supported projects in 2004-2006. CIHP’s core technical assistance responsibilities are presented below.

Overall Goal

To contribute to improving the health status of women and children in the intervention areas of CORDAID supported health projects. Detailed objectives are as follows:

• By end 2006, the CORDAID Common Health Programme to have been effectively implemented, managed and coordinated in order to improve children and women’s health in project areas.
• By end 2006, key persons of CORDAID’s partners to be:1) trained in managing integrated child care and women’s health; 2) competent in project implementation at district-wide level, including community mobilisation.

Activities

• Provide relevant technical assistance to CORDAID supported project partners in Vietnam in 2004-2006, including proposal development and planning exercises, the establishment of common M&E systems, training on baseline survey, training on data analysis and report writing, technical support for project partners when applying M&E systems, regular monitoring and supportive supervision activities to CORDAID supported projects in Vietnam.
• Conduct relevant activities of information exchange, lessons learnt and experience among CORDAID supported project partners in Vietnam in 2004-2006 period, training on project management, project planning and management and financial management for key CORDAID supported project managers, conduct management workshops after Mid-term Evaluation to review the Common Health Programme.
• Conduct training to adapt the IMCI manual for Commune health workers for key trainers of the CORDAID supported projects, organize training on RTIs diagnosis, treatment and counseling according to the National Reproductive Health Guideline for key trainers of CORDAID supported projects and training on health promotion, with focus on behaviour change communication (BCC) for key CORDAID supported projects' trainers; provide assistance to CORDAID supported project partners to access relevant sources of information related to child care and women's health.
• Conduct activities of information exchange, lessons learnt and experience among CORDAID supported project partners in Vietnam in 2004-2006 with other national and international organisations, and develop a brochure on CORDAID supported programme in Viet Nam for the 2004-2006 period.