Strengthening Public Health Management Capacity in Vietnam: Preparing Local Public Health Workers for New Roles in a Decentralized Health System

J Public Health Manag Pract. 2018 Mar/Apr:24 Suppl 2:S74-S81. doi: 10.1097/PHH.0000000000000755.

Abstract

Health sector decentralization has created an urgent need to strengthen public health management capacity in many countries throughout the developing world. This article describes the establishment of a national management training network in Vietnam that used Project-Based Learning to strengthen management competencies of HIV program workers and linked training to measurable improvement in HIV/AIDS public health program outcomes. Skills were taught using a combination of classroom learning and mentored fieldwork. From 2005 to 2015, 827 HIV/AIDS program managers were trained with this method throughout Vietnam by trainers in 3 regional training centers. A total of 218 applied learning projects were carried out by trainees during this period; 132 resulted in measurable improvements in HIV/AIDS program outputs, and 86 produced well-organized plans for implementing, monitoring, and evaluating HIV/AIDS intervention strategies. Vietnam's management training network represents an important advancement in public health workforce development that helps prepare workers for new roles and responsibilities in a decentralized health system.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Capacity Building / methods*
  • Capacity Building / organization & administration
  • Capacity Building / trends
  • Delivery of Health Care / methods*
  • Delivery of Health Care / trends
  • Government Programs
  • Humans
  • Politics
  • Public Health / standards*
  • Public Health / statistics & numerical data
  • Quality Improvement / trends
  • Vietnam