UNICEF has teamed up with the government of Japan to support Vietnam's Ministry of Health to transform digital health information for children, the UN agency said in a joint press release on Tuesday. 

The shared goal is to ensure the availability of a comprehensive set of data for every child, where critical real time information on immunizations, health challenges, child and maternal health information is consolidated in one compatible digital system, regardless of the child’s location or even of lost paper records, UNICEF added.

Twenty-two laptops, 168 desktops, and 20 barcode readers were distributed in Gia Lai Province in the Central Highlands region on the same day, as part of the support from the government of Japan and UNICEF to strengthen the digital health system in Vietnam.

This contribution to the digital transformation of the health system includes a total of 158 laptops, 803 desktops, and 187 barcode readers.

The supplies have been distributed to several departments of the Ministry of Health and seven provinces among the most disadvantaged to enhance the use of information technology in maternal and child health management, as well as reproductive health. 

“An aid package totaling 1,267 million Japanese yen (US$8.4 million) has been allocated for Southeast Asian countries, including 290 million yen ($1.92 million) designated for Vietnam,” Sasaki Shohei, first secretary of the government of Japan, said at an IT equipment handover event in Gia Lai Province on Tuesday.

“We commend the Vietnamese government's proactive approach to nationwide healthcare digitization, which aims at improving healthcare service delivery.”

“The government of Japan hopes that the equipment donated as part of this initiative will serve various purposes in the target provinces, including Gia Lai. We also aspire to see further digital transformation within the healthcare sector throughout Vietnam, contributing to the enhancement of the healthcare service delivery system,” he concluded. 

In recent years, maternal and child healthcare has been consistently acknowledged as a vital component of Vietnam's socio-economic development strategy due to its key role in improving the quality of life for its citizens, said Tong Tran Ha, deputy director of the Department of Maternal Health and Children under the ministry.

"Significant strides have been made by the Ministry of Health in developing and implementing lots of health information management software, including national vaccination software and electronic health books for maternal health and children,” said Maharajan Muthu, UNICEF Vietnam chief of Child Survival and Development.

The project includes improving the functionality and interoperability of existing digital health software, offering comprehensive training to healthcare workers, particularly those at the community level to enable proficient use of medical statistical information technology software, and ensuring that specialized medical facilities and community health stations are equipped with all necessary information technology tools for data entry and reporting related to maternal and child health.

Through its partnership with UNICEF, the government of Japan has provided significant support to Vietnam's health sector in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.

The aid provided this time will contribute to enhancing data collection, reporting, and improving data quality, and provide essential evidence for the development and implementation of effective policies, especially in the areas of maternal and child health, as well as broader global health issues.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!