The UK Government and UNICEF provide medical supplies to village health workers in Northern Viet Nam

Ha Noi, 7 May 2025 - In collaboration with the British Embassy in Ha Noi, UNICEF has delivered 2,035 medical handbags and 2,323 manual sphygmomanometers to the provincial departments of health in Lào Cai, Cao Bằng, and Điện Biên provinces. This contribution is part of ongoing efforts to restore essential health services disrupted by Typhoon Yagi, which caused significant damage to healthcare facilities and supplies across these mountainous provinces.

These essential supplies have been provided to village health workers, who serve as the frontline of healthcare for communities in remote and hard-to-reach areas. These frontline workers play a critical role in disaster response and recovery, often being the first and sometimes the only available healthcare providers to assist families during and after emergencies. Equipping them with essential tools is critical to ensuring they can provide timely life-saving support under challenging conditions, particularly to vulnerable groups such as mothers and young children, who are disproportionately affected in the aftermath of natural disasters.

This initiative complements UNICEF’s immediate support to people and children most affected by the typhoon, including cash assistance and provision of water, sanitation, nutrition and child protection supplies and capacity building assistance for rapid recovery.

With funding support from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and other development partners, UNICEF’s Typhoon Yagi response and recovery programme continues to strengthen of Viet Nam’s health system, especially at the grassroots level, by enhancing emergency preparedness and response. Through close collaboration with local authorities and sustained investment in frontline health services for provinces like Lào Cai, Cao Bằng, and Điện Biên, UNICEF and partners aim to help restore and sustain the delivery of quality healthcare services, ensuring that no child is left behind.