Launching the Project 'Building a co-payment model for HPV testing in Vietnam' in Hai Phong

The project aims to build a sustainable financial mechanism for cervical cancer screening and expand access to HPV DNA testing in Hai Phong. At the same time, it contributes to strengthening the capacity of the health system and moving towards universal health coverage.

Conference scene

On November 4, the Hai Phong City Department of Health coordinated with the FIND Organization (Foundation of Innovative New Diagnostic) in Vietnam to organize a conference to launch the project "Building a co-payment model for HPV testing in Vietnam".

Attending the conference were Mr. Dinh Anh Tuan, Director of the Department of Mothers and Children, Ministry of Health ; Ms. Tran Thi Trang, Director of the Department of Health Insurance, Ministry of Health; Dr. Nguyen Thi Van Anh, Director of FIND Organization in Vietnam; Dr. Tran Quoc Trinh, Deputy Director of Hai Phong Department of Health; Dr. Dong Trung Kien, Hai Phong CDC and representatives of leaders, officers and employees of medical facilities in Hai Phong city.

Speaking at the Conference, Dr. Tran Quoc Trinh, Deputy Director of Hai Phong Department of Health, emphasized: “The main objective of the project is to build a payment model at commune health facilities for cervical cancer screening using a community sampling model and centralized HPV DNS testing in Hai Phong. At the same time, promote a co-payment model to mobilize resources to perform HPV DNA testing to screen for cervical cancer for women aged 30-65 in Hai Phong.”

Deputy Director of Hai Phong Department of Health Tran Quoc Trinh highlighted the benefits that the project brings to the community, especially women.

At the same time, Dr. Tran Quoc Trinh highlighted the benefits that the project brings, including: Meeting the needs of capacity building and consolidating the grassroots health network, which is a stepping stone for developing subsequent policies; meeting the needs of sustainable financial mechanisms, helping the Hai Phong Department of Health plan the budget and mobilize funds, promoting cervical cancer screening for women aged 30-64 throughout the city. Thereby, building and piloting a model with the potential to be replicated on a national scale; proposing a Health Insurance model that covers all or part of the testing costs.

During the 2023-2024 period, FIND has supported Hai Phong city to successfully deploy the HPV DNA testing model at commune-level health stations for cervical cancer screening, contributing to increasing access to testing services in Hai Phong city. In this model, decentralized sample collection with the option for women to self-collect samples was implemented at commune-level health stations; centralized testing was performed at the laboratory of the Hai Phong City Center for Disease Control (CDC).

The project showed that the HPV testing model implemented by FIND and the Hai Phong Department of Health was highly effective, feasible in operation and well received at all levels of participation in the health system. Through the implementation process, 406 out of 5004 women tested were found positive for high-risk HPV infection.

Ms. Tran Thi Trang, Director of Health Insurance Department, Ministry of Health, appreciated the feasibility of the project.

At the Conference, Ms. Tran Thi Trang, Director of the Department of Health Insurance, Ministry of Health affirmed: "We highly appreciate this idea. Through the implementation process, we are committed to working with the implementing units to make the project effective. In addition, Ms. Tran Thi Trang affirmed that later when it is included in the Health Insurance, it will not be prescribed, but any screening test method suitable to the conditions of the patient and the medical facility will be covered by the Health Insurance.

Currently, the project model is highly appreciated by the Hai Phong Department of Health and the Ministry of Health for its contribution to improving the capacity of the primary health care system, a key factor for Vietnam to achieve universal health coverage. However, the scale-up faces many challenges, including the lack of budget allocation, the lack of a policy framework for primary health care and the lack of a payment mechanism for screening and diagnostic services.

Mr. Dayo Adetifa, CEO of FIND organization in Switzerland, shared with the conference online.

In this situation, the Hai Phong City Department of Health has requested FIND to support the development of a proposed payment model to expand cervical cancer screening activities in the city. The proposed payment model is based on a co-financing mechanism, seeking financial opportunities from local authorities, funding sources from service beneficiaries, and sponsors such as businesses (paying for female workers), or other sponsors.

The project will be implemented in Hai Phong city from now until the end of September 2026, aiming to support the city's health sector in developing and promoting a co-payment model for cervical cancer screening using a decentralized HPV DNA testing model at grassroots health facilities in the city. Based on the project results, the Ministry of Health will consider the possibility of replicating the model nationwide and propose to cover part of the testing costs from the Health Insurance fund.

Thuy Dung

Source: https://suckhoedoisong.vn/khoi-dong-du-an-xay-dung-mo-hinh-dong-chi-tra-xet-nghiem-hpv-tai-viet-nam-tai-hai-phong-169251105162925907.htm