Project Update - March 2022
Please see below photos from the presentation of 469 Vietnam Health Insurance Cards for people in Dong Thap province, Vietnam.
Project Update - 24 December 2020
I am pleased to report that the Rotary eClub of Latitude 38 has just purchased 940 Health Insurance Cards for the Vietnamese residents in Dong Thap Province which is in the south of Vietnam. When I get some photos I will post them here and on our Facebook page. Thankyou for everyone who has supported this great project. If you would like to support this project or would like further information please let me know at eclublatitude38@mail.com
See below photos for the presentation in Dong Thap, February 2021
See below photos from the presentation on 31 March 2020 in honour of RC Latitude 38 in Dong Thap Province for the 800 Health Insurance Cards purchased. Many thanks must go to those that supported this worthy project. Its great to see our clubs name up there on the banner!
Project Update
On Monday 03 February I met with the President ( Tran Thanh Long ) of the Sponsoring Association of Poor Patients (SAPP) and donated $4100 AUD (64,400,000 VND) to purchase health cards in Dong Thap Province in the west of Vietnam. These cards will allow 800 Vietnamese to access free health care who would otherwise not be able to afford it. Many thanks to the generous people who support this project including Drouin Op Shop, Rotary Club Batemans Bay and District 9820
If you can make a donation it would be greatly appreciated and will allow me to purchase more cards to assist needy Vietnamese.
Please see photos and info below from my visit to Ben Tre in January 2019
On Monday 21Jan19 I, ( Pete ), on behalf of Rotary eClub Latitude 38, attended the presentation of Health Insurance Cards at the Local Authorities Office in Ben Tre, Vietnam. Also attending was another donor from Ho Chi Minh City and Ms Chen and Mr Ranh from SAPP ( Sponsoring Association for Poor Patients ). Mr Ranh is the Vice president of SAPP in Ho Chi Minh City.
The Vietnamese authorities were very appreciative of our contribution to purchasing health cards and our willingness to help the Vietnamese people. I was surprised to see a large banner at the back of the stage and pleased to see our club named on it. ( it is not clear but it does show 142 cards purchased ). I was even more surprised to be prompted to go up and say some words and while I am sure there was only one other English speaker in the room I did get a very loud applause at the end so maybe they did understand my attempt at Vietnamese
I hope Latitude 38 can continue this project on a yearly basis as I feel this is a very worthwhile cause.
Please see below some photos from the presentation.
Rotary eClub Latitude 38 rep ( Me ) being very nervous in front of the assembly
Mr Ranh, Vice President of SAPP in Ho Chi Minh City, presenting health cards to Ben Tre residents
Photo Op after I presented the health cards
The Vietnamese Local Authority presented us with with a lovely bunch of flowers plus a certificate for the donors
Framed certificate presented by the Vietnamese Local Authority to Rotary eClub Latitude 38
Background Information
Each year every person in Vietnam must purchase a health insurance card. The cards cost approximately $AUD43 and ensures free medical treatment.
For the poor Vietnamese, the government will subsidise the card for between 70% to 90% depending on where they are located. This means that the Vietnamese living in poverty only need to pay up to $AUD13 per person but a large family finds it difficult to cover that amount for each of its members.
One of the aims of SAPP is to provide 2000 health cards for each of their five targeted provinces. Some of these provinces are a little remote but one of them is Ben Tre which is within travelling distance from Ho Chi Minh City. The subsidy rate for Ben Tre is 30% so SAPP would be covering approx $AUD13 per card with a goal of 2000 cards to support poverty stricken Vietnamese and so allowing them free access to medical treatment and medication. .
The Rotary eClub of Latitude 38 would like to raise $AUD3000 which would provide approximately 225 health cards towards this goal. It already has $AUD1000 in hand through the generosity of the Rotary Club of Batemans Bay in NSW, Australia.
The eClub of Latitude 38 is supporting this project as its first project in Vietnam. It will also enable the club to make valuable contacts with the local authority which in turn will help with other project
Contact Point: Pete Showell