Vietnam faces a significant shortage of qualified pediatric ophthalmologists due to lack of qualified subspecialty fellowship training opportunities. In addition, available training materials utilized were developed by just “self-learning” doctors. This might be worsened by the fact that approximately 2.6 million Vietnamese children under 14 years of age have a visual impairment.
Vietnam National Institute of Ophthalmology
Vietnam National Institute of Ophthalmology – Our leader partnership for child eye health.
Over the past decade, Orbis has been fortunate to collaborate with Vietnam National Institute of Ophthalmology. As the leading eye care institution in the country we have together made remarkable achievements, especially in child eye health.
Signing Ceremony on the project between Orbis and Vietnam National Institute of Ophthalmology
Why We Concern
While the quality of peidatric opthalmology services is currently provided by VNIO, hands-on training skills is still absent from the training programs, hence, capacity strengthening in child eye care through partnership with the central and leading eye hospital of the country is of strong necessity.
Vietnam is estimated to have 2.6 million children under 14 having visual impairment while facing deficiency in pediatric eye care professionals.
How We Approach
Orbis Vietnam in partnership with Vietnam National Institute of Ophthalmology developed the following 3 pillars to address the issue:
Training Program Development
Support to develop the first time ever national pediatric ophthalmology training aligned with international standards and improve the teaching methodologies of ophthalmic trainers.
Capacity building
Strengthen Vietnam National Institute of Ophthalmology's capacity in delivering high quality pediatric eye care services
Quality Assurance
Carry out the quality asssurance system of Vietnam National Institute of Ophthalmology and use it as evidences to advocate for the country’s best practices in standardizing the quality of eye care services
What We Have Done
With approval from the Ministry of Health, the pediatric ophthalmology training program would be applied in all medical universities and affiliated eye hospitals in the country.
The pilot Pediatric Ophthalmology fellowship training started at Vietnam National Institute of Ophthalmology for their doctors, which helps enrich their knowledge and standardize practical skills in pediatric eye care. These are expected to be the trainers for eye health workforce in Vietnam in the near future. Materials developed by Vietnam National Institute of Ophthalmology including syllabus, training support materials, evaluation questionnaire will be used as the golden standard training package.
What We Will Do
For the fact the pilot shall complete by December 2019, the teaching material and teaching skills would need future efforts to upgrade.
Orbis Vietnam is arranging its support to further enhance teaching materials and teaching skills of pediatric ophthalmologists in Vietnam.
Additional resources shall be mobilized to ensure the training program which has been successfully piloted by Vietnam National Institute of Ophthalmology will be disseminated and applied nationwide.
