The success of the JICA RH Project in Nghe An, Vietnam (1997-2005), jointly implemented by JOICFP, was further confirmed by the follow-up project, "Capacity Building for Dissemination of Community-based RH Promotion Approach" (2006-2009).

This project raises the skills and knowledge of Commune Health Center (CHC) RH staff and community-based organization members to promote safe and hygienic delivery and effective IEC, in the four provinces of Ha Nam, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, and Ha Thin, drawing on the experience from Nghe An.

The success in Nghe An was based on applying knowledge learned from Japan, and from 28th February to 16th March, representatives from the four new provinces and Nghe An visited Japan for counterpart training.

Named "Community-based Approach for RH Promotion," the training was an opportunity for each provincial team, comprising health administrators and doctors, to:

*Study implementation of effective MCH activities
*Study client-friendly services
*Observe and better understand the approach taken by Nghe An.

A midwife from Katsushika Red Cross
Maternity Hospital shows the trainees through
role-play the free-style delivery method

This was the first counterpart training for the follow-up project, and took advantage of JOICFP's extensive network in community-based health. This included:

* Meeting with health administrators of Gunma prefecture to understand the role of local government in health promotion in close collaboration with community-based organizations,
* Visiting midwifery homes, and
* Visiting a Red Cross maternity hospital to learn about client friendly services.

The visitors also met withBosui-san (maternal and child health volunteers), who motivate women to take antenatal care, and promote children's health, thereby providing a link between local administration and the community.

Participants making toys assisted by Bosui-san,
an entertaining activity that relaxes young
mothers and helps them participate
in community health checkup activities

Action plan

With JOICFP's assistance, each of the provinces formulated a concrete action plan, based on what they had seen in Japan and on experience sharing among the five provinces.

Two provinces' action plans focused on "implementation of parents' classes", one on "supportive monitoring system", and the other on "client-friendly services", all of which tie into and support the Vietnam National 10-Year Strategy for RH Care 2001-2010.

Using JICA Net, these plans were presented to representatives of Nghe An at JICA Vietnam, who gave feedback, and provided advice to four provinces upon implementation of the action plan.

The participants from Nghe An presented their action plan reflecting new RH issues, such as adolescent RH, and services for menopausal women.

At JICA Tokyo using the satellite T.V.
Conference system (JICA Net)
to connect with JICA Vietnam

JOICFP executive director Sumie Ishii, commented at the presentations that initially it had been a hardship for Nghe An to modify and implement a Japanese model of community-based RH care, but that the four new provinces would find it much easier as the model of Nghe An was in place.

Through the counterpart training, the participants appreciated the opportunity to observe first-hand the Japanese model, as well as the Vietnam adopted Nghe An model, as these models will accelerate the adaptation of the new four provinces.