Project News

The DOHA Seminar on Infection Control and Patient Safety was held by the Project in Cho Ray Hospital on August 16.

As a hospital under the direct control of the Ministry of Health, Cho Ray Hospital is mandated to provide instruction and guidance for improving the medical level of provincial hospitals in 25 provinces in southern Viet Nam (including Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho City). This system is called "Direction of Healthcare Activities (DOHA)".

This seminar was implemented for managerial staff of doctors and nurses in provincial hospitals in southern Viet Nam as part of DOHA by Cho Ray Hospital. Approximately 150 people participated in the seminar including participants from Cho Ray Hospital.

Dr. Nguyen Truong Son, director of Cho Ray Hospital and Mr. Junichi Kawaue, Consul General of Japan in Ho Chi Minh City presented themselves and gave speeches at the beginning of the seminar. Mr. Kawaue mentioned, "The cooperation between Cho Ray Hospital and Japan started in the 1960's. After that, the main buildings of the hospital were constructed by the grant aid of Japanese government in the 1970's. Since then, a lot of technical cooperation has been implemented. Now, Cho Ray Hospital is one of the symbols of the cooperative relationship between Japan and Viet Nam. I expect our friendly relations will be strengthened through this Project."

In the seminar, three Japanese experts and four doctors of Cho Ray Hospital gave lectures on Infection Control and Patient Safety respectively. There was a lively exchange of questions and answers right after.

The contents of the lectures were as follows:

1. "Experience of nosocomial infection control and patient safety in developing countries" Dr. Hiroshi Ohara, JICA Expert (Chief Adviser)
2. "How to implement the infection control program effectively" Dr. Le Thi Anh Thu, head of the Infection Control Department, Cho Ray Hospital
3. "Approach of the JICA Project on infection control in Cho Ray Hospital" Ms. Hitomi Kurosu, JICA Expert (Infection Control/ Nursing Management)
4. "Update on hospital-acquired infection in Cho Ray Hospital and approaches to hospital infection surveillance in the future" Dr. Phung Manh Thang, deputy head of the Infection Control Department, Cho Ray Hospital
5. "Patient safety activities in Cho Ray Hospital" Dr. Ton Thanh Tra, head of the Quality Management Department, Cho Ray Hospital
6. "Efforts of JICA Project in strengthening patient safety in Cho Ray Hospital" Mr. Jun Moriyama, JICA Expert (Patient Safety/ Nursing Management)
7. "Patient safety activities in Tropical Diseases Department" Dr. Le Quoc Hung, head of the Tropical Diseases Department, Cho Ray Hospital

Opening remarks by Dr. Son, Director of Cho Ray Hospital

Consul General Junichi Kawaue giving a speech

About 150 attendees in the seminar

Dr. Ohara, Chief Adviser giving a lecture

The guests, lecturers and JICA experts