The use of community participation to improve commune health services in disabuantaged areas of Viet Nam

Abstract

This study aims to review and assess the situation of the community participation approach of the Community Based Health Development Project and find out the facilitating factors of success and obstacle when using it to improve the health services in disadvantaged areas in Viet Nam. The study area is Northern Mountainous Yen Bai Province of Viet Nam with characteristics of poor and diversity of ethnic minorities. Research methodology includes the literature on community based approach both in health and non-health sectors qualitative method and tools to measure the level of participation of community in different dimensions including needs assessment, leadership, management, organization and resource mobilizing. The study also investigates others factors such as political advocacy, ethnicity, local capacity to asses the perception and understanding of community by/in using this approach. Perception and understanding of community members is the first and most important finding of the study. Secondly, the study also finds that advocacy and support the ideas of community participation should be manifested in practice at grassroots levels with clear stipulation manners in every sector. Thirdly, the readiness of community in term of capacity and human resources etc. are conditions to the success of this approach. Lastly, in working with ethnic minority, the culture, behavior and attitude as well as the linguistic dimensions should be taken into consideration.