The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) launched the Local Health System Sustainability (LHSS) project in Vietnam on December 15 to help the country develop its ability to combat HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. 

USAID Vietnam director Ann Marie Yastishock speaks at the event.

The project is being launched with the aim of strengthening the Government’s capacity to sustainably manage HIV and tuberculosis (TB) programmes, thereby moving towards the goal of achieving the country’s commitment to end HIV and TB by 2030.

Through the LHSS Vietnam project, USAID will continue working alongside the Government to strengthen public financial management systems for the local health sector and find greater efficiencies in terms of social health insurance. In addition, the scheme will increase and improve the efficiency of domestic financing of HIV prevention and treatment services, whilst strengthening the capacity of local supply chain management systems, and integrating TB services into social health insurance.

Addressing the launching ceremony, USAID Vietnam director Ann Marie Yastishock congratulated the Government and the Ministry of Health on the successful transition of their HIV response from donor to domestic funding, with Social Health Insurance (SHI) now becoming the primary financing mechanism.

“Vietnam now has 90% of HIV patients enrolled in SHI. All treatment facilities can now be reimbursed for HIV services. Most importantly, SHI funds are now used to procure anti-retroviral drugs, the most expensive component of an HIV response. This is a remarkable trajectory of success and one we are all proud to share with Vietnam. USAID, through PEPFAR, has supported the Government in updating policies and building systems that would support this transition,” she added.

LHSS Vietnam represents a four-year project that will run until 2024 and comes with a planned budget of US$13.9 million which is funded by the United States Government through PEPFAR and USAID.

It is part of USAID’s global initiative in terms of strengthening integrated health systems to help low- and middle-income countries transition to sustainable and self-financed health systems to support access to universal health coverage.