News and Events


Long An Health Department: A Promising Future


Dr. Huu

“We are now on our upward trend towards a brighter future”, said Dr. Tran Ngoc Huu, director of the Long An Health Department.

Long An Province is one of the twelve provinces in the Mekong Delta bordering Cambodia. It has 13 districts and one town, with a total population of 1,347,731 people. Much of Long An Province is located in the Dong Thap Muoi lowland area, which has an elevation of no more than 5 meters above sea level. Flooding is common and the land can be submerged as much as 3 months of the year.

The average income in the province is around $300 per capital per year. Much of the population relies on rice production, which is highly susceptible to seasonal fluctuations.

Infrastructure is poor and many districts have no paved roads, limited electricity and an inadequate school system. Health problems are widespread due to the use of untreated rainwater in the rainy season, and river, canal, and pond water in the dry season. Other common water related diseases in the area include cholera, typhoid and dysentery.

Church World Service Vietnam began supporting the Long An Health Department in 1985 with medical equipment and enhanced training for medical personnel. Currently, CWS is providing support through the project “Public Health Care Development for Long An Province”. This project will improve water quality in 36 rural clinics and district hospitals, providing over 500,000 residents with access to health centers with clean water supply.

“We highly appreciate what CWS Vietnam has been bringing to Long An Province and Long An people”, said Dr. Huu. This current project will last three years and is worth over $170,000 USD.