Project News

The 3rd Program Management Meeting (PMM) was held in October 9th in National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE), Hanoi. The Project's targets are to enhance the capacity of laboratory diagnosis and biosafety as well as to strengthen the laboratory network in Vietnam to respond to hazardous pathogens such as avian influenza with the duration from 2011 to 2016. This meeting included the Mid-term Review (MTR) of the Program. There were 22 participants including Director Nguyen Tran Hien, Vice Director Le Thi Quynh Mai from NIHE, Dr Ngyen Thi Phuing Lan from Pasteur Institute of HO Chi Minh City, Dr Nguyen Ngo Hung from Tay Nguyen Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Dr Trinh Thi Xuan Mai from Pasteur Institute of Nha Trang, Mr. Kanai Team Leader from Mid-term Review Mission of JICA Headquarter, Mrs. Dao Thi Khanh officer from JICA-Vietnam Office and experts from JICA-Project Office.

In this time, the MTR Mission team organized by JICA HQ visited Vietnam to conduct the Joint MTR for the Project and had a series of meeting and interviews of relevant organization and C/P concerning the first half of the Project activities to examine the achievement level of the Purpose and Outputs of the Project. As a result, the MTR Mission reached the conclusion as follows; 1) This Project is still relevant, since it is in line with development policies of the government of Vietnam, Japanese ODA policies, and needs of counterparts (C/Ps) and target areas. 2) The Project has progressed smoothly and achieved sufficient level of outputs as planned without delay. It is highly expected that the achievement level of respective Outputs would be further enhanced by continuing activities in the latter half of the Project period. In order to better reflect the actual engagement of the Project, the several minor changes of indicators were made to the Project Design Matrix (PMD).

After the reports of the MTR Mission, participants also discussed on issues in the later half of the Project period as follows:

The Project is recommended

1. To establish a system of the maintenance of equipment in laboratories covered by the Project.
2. To keep the seven target pathogens, However, the Project should have flexibility depending on the priority in Vietnam.
3. To further strengthen trainings implemented by local management (JICA-NIHE Office), which had been well-accepeted by C/Ps
4. To make site-visits to Laos, Cambosia and Myanmar, since communication with neighboring countries is essential for the completion of the Project.

Next day, October 10, the 3rd Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC) meeting was held in NIHE by the participants plus representatives from Ministry of Health and JICA Vietnam Office. As a result of the discussion on draft of the Minute of Meeting based on the reports of MTR Mission and issues in the latter half of the Project period, both the MTR Mission and the Vietnamese side reached common understanding, agreed upon and signed the final Minute of Meeting on the Project.

Agreement and signed on MM

Participants of the 3rd JCC Meeting