USAID Assistant Administrator Dr. Atul Gawande Concludes Trip to Ho Chi Minh City

HO CHI MINH CITY, November 18, 2022 – U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Assistant Administrator for Global Health Dr. Atul Gawande traveled to Ho Chi Minh City from November 17 to 18. During the trip, Dr. Gawande met with provincial government authorities, health care workers, community and public health leaders, academic experts, international donor partners, and public health students to highlight USAID’s partnership with Vietnam strengthening its health systems to save lives and advance global health security.

“As we experienced with COVID-19, infectious diseases do not respect borders, making every country around the world vulnerable,” said Dr. Gawande. “The vast majority of all new emerging infectious diseases originate in animals, so achieving global health security requires a One Health approach—working across the human, animal, and environmental health interface. Vietnam has been a champion of the One Health approach, developing and applying it with USAID support since 2005. We remain committed to our long-running partnership with Vietnam to strengthen global health security and global health more broadly.”

In Dong Nai province, Dr. Gawande visited a commercial wildlife farm with provincial government authorities to stress the importance of effective management to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases from animals to humans. He highlighted USAID’s long-running assistance to Vietnam to strengthen its ability to prevent, detect, and respond to emerging infectious disease threats, including those stemming from livestock and wildlife. 

In Binh Duong province, one of the hardest hit by COVID-19, Dr. Gawande observed Di An City Health Center’s new liquid oxygen system—one of 23 systems USAID is supporting—in action. Expanding patient access to medical oxygen, which is essential in the treatment of several diseases, including COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases, strengthens the nation’s health care system and saves lives. Dr. Gawande met with public sector care providers, a mental health expert, and a community leader to learn about their experiences responding to COVID-19 and USAID’s wide-ranging support for frontline health care workers. 

At Nong Lam University HCMC, Dr. Gawande spoke on a panel about the value of the One Health approach and its impact in Vietnam. USAID’s longstanding One Health support to Vietnam includes partnering with academic institutions to produce over 60,000 One Health-trained graduates to-date. Dr. Gawande also discussed the critical One Health approach at the U.S. Consulate General’s American Center with students and other health leaders. 

On November 18, Dr. Gawande visited a community tuberculosis (TB) screening event at District 8’s TB Unit to observe the USAID-supported early detection approach which utilizes an ultra-portable x-ray system and rapid diagnostic technology, called GeneXpert. He then met with provincial government officials and local health leaders to learn more about their TB response.

Dr. Gawande concluded his trip with visits to two USAID-supported providers of community-based HIV services. He highlighted how community organizations in Vietnam have been critical to expanding access to health care services, particularly for the vulnerable, and advancing Vietnam’s goal of ending AIDS by 2030. 

For photos of Dr. Gawande’s trip, visit: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAfBkG