Safe Farms, Safe Schools

Counterpart International (Counterpart) Vietnam Staff, during their work on the current Food for Progress project, expressed their concern that rural development of Quang Binh province was significantly hindered by mines and Unexploded Ordinance Risk (UXO) contamination.

Spanning 409 kilometers, Quang Binh is one of the three most heavily mine and UXO impacted provinces in Vietnam, with 10 percent of the total province suspected of contamination by UXOs or mines. From 2000-2005, 100 deaths and 86 injuries resulted from Explosive Remnants of War (ERW).

This project reduced the negative effects of Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) in the Quang Binh Province, and mainstream mine/UXO action into broader development processes. The program provided safe play areas, established First Aid stations and raised awareness among teachers and children at four schools with high concentrations of ERW in the areas in which Counterpart is conducting agricultural programs. 

Four "Safe Playgrounds" were built at rural schools in high ERW-impacted areas in Quang Binh province to give children a safe area in which to play, thus reducing their risk of being exposed to mines or UXO contamination. Each playground has its own first aid station, where a community educator teaches children about mine safety and awareness. The program was made possible though the US Department of State School Playground Safety/ Unexploded Ordinance Education program.

To learn more about Counterpart's Safe Farms, Safe Schools program in Vietnam, please read the following feature story:

Safe Play Areas in High Risk Environments

Injury Control Program

Vietnam has been undergoing an epidemiological transition in recent years. Mortality patterns are now similar to those of industrialized countries in that preventable injuries and non-communicable chronic diseases are now the leading causes of death for Vietnamese aged 50 years and younger. Unlike industrialized countries, however, Vietnam's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system is underdeveloped. Only 10 of Vietnam's 64 provinces have EMS systems in place, and the existing systems suffer from chronic shortages of equipment, supplies, vehicles, and trained professionals.

Through its Injury Control Program (ICP) which operated in five provinces of Vietnam, Counterpart worked to reduce the risk of injury and to improve outcomes for those who are injured. A core component of the program was strengthening the capacity of EMS systems in the five target provinces through training, technical assistance and other support.

Achievements in this area included:

• Certified 21 Vietnamese doctors as qualified EMS instructors and trained another 600 medical professionals through a successful trauma care training program. 
• Established four EMS training centers in strategic locations around the country. 
• Obtained seven new ambulances to strengthen provincial emergency vehicle fleets. 
• Facilitated donations of nearly $2 million worth of medical equipment to improve response capacity of emergency rooms. 
• Reduced emergency call response times in Ha Noi, Da Nang and Hai Phong. 
• Translated, published and disseminated hundreds of copies of the World Health Organization's Essential Trauma Care and Pre-Hospital Care guidelines to medical schools, provincial departments of health, and hospitals.

As part of the ICP, Counterpart also worked to reduce the risk of injury by raising awareness, promoting safe practices and expanding the network of first responders in communities. In partnership with the Red Cross, Counterpart implemented the "Safe Fleets, Safe Lives and Safe Schools" component of the program.

The "Safe Fleet" project provided taxi motorbike drivers with helmets and training in safe driving skills, as well as training in first aid and first aid equipment. These activities improved the safety of motorbike drivers and their passengers, while also enabling these drivers to assist victims of the traffic accidents that occur every day on Vietnamese roads.

The "Safe Lives and Safe Schools" projects trained volunteers in injury prevention and first aid, and supported their activities to raise injury awareness in schools and homes. The volunteers conducted home visits to assess injury risks, participated in community meetings, and facilitated awareness raising activities in schools.

Achievements in the "Safe Fleets, Safe Lives and Safe Schools" component include:

• Trained 200 motorbike drivers in first aid and safe driving skills. 
• Trained 70 Red Cross volunteers, who have conducted 5,000 home visits, in first aid and injury prevention. 
• Awarded "safe grants" to 37 families and seven schools to demonstrate low-cost injury risk reduction measures. 
• Established 16 first aid booths at injury and accident "hot spots" in Ha Noi, Khanh Hoa and Da Nang. 
• Trained 80 teachers and staff from 40 schools in first aid and injury prevention.

To learn more about Counterpart's Injury Control Program in Vietnam, please read the following feature story:

Safe Fleets, Safe Lives and Safe Schools