ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
On June 24, 2021, Ms. Duong Phuong Hanh – Director of CED was invited for an interview of the research on “Assessment of providing capacity for assistive technology in Vietnam”, a joint study between the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization, directly conducted by the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment, with the support of HCMC Hospital for Rehabilitation and Treatment of Occupational Diseases.
Five areas related to assistive technology including “5 Ps”: People – at the center, Policy, Provision, Products and Personnel.
The interview was about questions on the organisation, satisfaction assessment of users of hearing aids and communication facilitating products (transparent masks); policy and finance; numbers of assistive products in 2019 and 2020; ideas related to provision, suggestions on enhancing capacity for assistive technology…
At the end of the interview, CED had some recommendations as following:
- Recommendation 1: Hearing aids and cochlear need to be added in to items covered by health care insurance.
- Recommendation 2: Government needs to have a directive to mandate or encourage the production of hearing aids for the needs of Vietnamese people.
- Recommendation 3: When the 1st and 2nd recommendations have not been realized, government needs to have supportive policy for reducing price of hearing aids and cochlears.
- Recommendation 4: Strengthening early intervention role of public Inclusive Education Development Support Centers or public special schools, and implementing it across provinces, including remote areas to reduce the financial burden on parents. The end goal is that the supportive products are used effectively.
