Assistive devices are basic and include walking sticks, crutches and eyeglasses.  Assistive devices such as prostheses, wheelchairs and hearing devices are considered “modern” assistive devices and are not easily accessed and are also expensive (Palmer, Groce, Mont, Nguyen & Mitra, 2015).

In Vietnam, very few public hospitals provide early intervention services for children with ASD.  A short-term three week intervention program is available with approximately twenty children per course.  Children can only receive a maximum number of four courses of intervention, according to staff at the hospital.  Public hospital fees are subsidised under the health insurance scheme. For children outside of Hanoi, it is too expensive to attend due to accommodation, food and travel costs for the child and caregiver.

Health insurance is an issue in Vietnam. The Vietnamese government is working on developing a universal healthcare plan which would cover all residents with basic medical care.  Presently, most Vietnamese citizens have to pay for medical services themselves for service at private and public hospitals (Expat Arrivals). A majority of recipients found that health insurance was useful as others reported that they did not use the insurance card due to out-of-pocket payments. A concern that was expressed often was that the insurance did not cover all of the costs of required services, equipment and medication causing the recipient to pay a significant portion of the costs out of their own pocket (Palmer, Groce, Mont, Nguyen & Mitra, 2015).  Costs of assistive devices or travel to another health facility were not covered under insurance. Many people reported that local doctors often did not give referrals needed for other services available at hospitals which have higher costs.

The U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) is working to increase the availability of and access to a wide variety of programs benefiting people with disabilities in conflict-affect countries including Vietnam.  The United States has helped Vietnam address medical needs and support the inclusion of Vietnamese with disabilities into all aspects of society (www.usaid.gov). USAID has provided:

  • Rehabilitation service for tens of thousands of persons with disabilities
  • Education and vocational training including information technology, job placement
  • Supporting parent associations to expand the advocacy for disability issues
  • Support for the development of legal codes to improve physical accessibility for persons with disabilities in public buildings

Program activities work in three areas:

  • Policy advocacy and coordination
  • Direct assistance including occupational and physical therapy and providing assistive devices
  • Health systems strengthening to provide quality disabilities-related care and treatment

 

USAID continues to support Vietnam through six projects that were awarded in 2015:

  • Disabilities Integration of Services and Therapies Network for Capacity and Treatment (2015-2022)
  • Protecting the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Project (2015-2018)
  • Accessibility for Inclusion Project (2015-2020)
  • Advancing Medical Care and Rehabilitation Education (2015-2020)
  • Moving without Limits (2015-2020)
  • Disabilities Rights Enforcement, Coordination and Therapies (2015-2020)

These projects are to support the implementation of disability laws and regulations and to strengthen rehabilitation service systems and to also provide direct assistance to persons with significant disabilities (www.usaid.gov).

 

References

 

Palmer, M., Groce, N., Mont, D., Nguyen, O. H., & Mitra, S., The Economic Lives of People with Disabilities in Vietnam, July 21, 2015, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0133623

 

http://www.expatarrivals.com/asia-pacific/vietnam/healthcare-vietnam

 

https://www.usaid.gov/vietnam/persons-with-disabilities