Vietnam’s hospitals supported with modernization

A view on Bach Mai Hospital's microbiology laboratory. Source: bachmai.gov.vn

PANO - Hanoi’s Bach Mai Hospital has become the fifth of six laboratories across Vietnam to successfully receive ISO 15189 certification, which is issued by the ISO Bureau of Accreditation from the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology.

A ceremony to celebrate the attainment of International Organization for Standardization (ISO) accreditation for its microbiology laboratory, with financial and technical assistance from the US Government was held on July 24 th .

Bach Mai Hospital is one of Vietnam’s largest, and is one of six medical facilities throughout the country that the U. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with funding from the President’s Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), is working with the Government of Vietnam and the NGO Family Health International (FHI 360) to upgrade to ISO 15189 standards.

“We’d like to see more labs accredited under ISO,” said director of Bach Mai Hospital’s Microbiology Department, Dr. Doan Mai Phoung. “In this way we can improve the quality of care and treatment services nationwide, as ISO means our labs are producing more accurate results – and that translates to better healthcare for our patients. None of this would be possible without the support of CDC and FHI who trained our staff and helped to procure the necessary equipment.”

On August 6, Ho Chi Minh City will host another ceremony to recognize Pham Ngoc Thach Hospital and the Preventive Medicine Center - Vietnam’s first two hospitals to attain ISO 15189 accreditation as part of this PEPFAR/CDC initiative.

Through PEPFAR and CDC, the United States has been the leading bilateral donor for lab quality improvement activities in Vietnam, committing more than US $7.5 million over the past three years.

ISO accreditation creates an environment that allows laboratories to operate at internationally recognized levels, improve efficiency, ensure more reliable test results, and enhance overall health care for patients. Accreditation of laboratories to an international standard has played an important role in improving national health care systems worldwide.

Chung Anh