Child eye health has been a major concern in Vietnam where it is challenging for needy children to access eye care services. Despite of great efforts made by the Government of Vietnam to amend relevant policies and regulations, significant obstacles seem to stay still. In particular, children over six are not covered by the Health Insurance scheme for several important eye diseases and therefore, many of them do not get appropriate treatment.
Advocacy for Child Eye Health
Despite great efforts by Vietnam Government, gaps remain in the eye care system for children over the ages of six, who are not covered by the local Health Insurance Scheme. A call for policy change has been launched and upheld by Orbis.
Why We Concern
Since the country urgently needs a successful model that could serve as a template for adoption, we desire to promote a strong call in a bid to help the need is well met.
How We Approach
A aforementioned, great efforts should be made for changes in the country's Health Insurance Scheme on children's eye care. The following are what we have been pursuing:
- Working with stakeholders to identify problems and solutions to advocate for necessary changes in the country’s health insurance system;
- Conducting a research to collect evidences to convince policy makers about the need to increase Health Insurance’s coverage for pediatric eye diseases;
- Organizing policy dialogues to bring up issues with policy makers and relevant actors.
What We Have Done
A consultant workshop on Health Insurance policies for children's eye diseases
Following the approached above, significant achievements have been made for the country’s Health Insurance Scheme as follows:
- A research to collect evidences to advocate for an amendment of Health Insurance policies for children eye surgeries completed;
- The final dialogue with government policy makers was arranged to share evidences and prepare for a public hearing section in National Congress in 2020 when the policy changes expectedly are approved.
What We Will Do
Orbis's vision toward 2020
Orbis Vietnam will continue working in the coalition with international organizations to maintain dialogues with policy makers and influencers through policy review sessions and policies impact assessment.
Media will be involved to raise social pressure on this crucial need for changes to the health insurance sector. Orbis Vietnam is seeking strong partners with experiences in developing the communication campaign to advocate for changes.
