Health Education and Medical Assistance Project

Health Education and Medical Assistance

Since 1992, the Can Tho, Association of Physicians and Pharmacists (CTAPP) and VNHELP have been involved in a painstaking but rewarding process of compiling, translating, publishing, and distributing the Personal Health Care Manual. Based primarily on the American Medical Association's Encyclopedia of Medicine and Family Medical Guide, the booklet was part of VNHELP's larger effort to disseminate medical and health care knowledge throughout the Mekong Delta.

The 250-page booklet is divided into two parts. The first part outlines general knowledge about the human body, health, and mental health. The second part contains easily-followed charts and yes-no questionnaires that enables users to self-examine and suggests cure or appropriate action.

Translation work in this project was done by members of CTAPP in cooperation with VNHELP, which utilized its network of health professionals in the US for editing and revising the booklet. In 1994, one thousand copies of the manual were printed with funding from VNHELP, and were distributed to various health care centers, libraries, schools, and other community-based organizations in Can Tho, and other Mekong Delta provinces. This manual proved to be popular among health care professionals in Viet Nam, and the Bureau of Education in Can Tho, is planning to use five chapters to teach high school students for the coming school year.