TeleMicrobiology
Strengthening diagnostic capacity for infectious diseases in Vietnam
Objective
The overall goal of this project is to enhance diagnostic microbiological capacity at four hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City and remote areas by TeleMicrobiology, thereby optimizing management of infectious diseases within the Vietnamese health system.
Description
This project is being developed and implemented by a unique partnership between the AMC, Kiestra Lab Automation and the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City.
Infectious diseases are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Vietnam. Diagnostics of bacterial infections are up to standard in the Laboratory of Medical Microbiology of the Hospital of Tropical Diseases (HTD) in Ho Chi Minh City. This does not hold true for the smaller laboratories in more peripheral areas in Vietnam, where the level of diagnostic capacity and bacteriological knowledge are low. HTD and its network of remote laboratories expressed a clear need for the development of tools to provide knowledge transfer and training in microbiology in order to enhance diagnostic capacity.
This project aims to develop and provide a continuous education and training tool to improve the quality of diagnostics in hospital laboratories in Vietnam. Knowledge will be transferred using bacteriological e-learning modules and local training by Dutch and Vietnamese facilitators. In addition, to assure that this newly obtained knowledge leads to better bacteriological diagnostics, interactive support is provided by microbiologists of HTD and the AMC on a regular basis using a dedicated e-camera. We call this concept TeleMicrobiology.
Partners
Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Ho Chi Minh City
Kiestra Lab Automation, Drachten
Health[e]Foundation, Amsterdam
Funders
NL EVD
Countries
Vietnam