Because of training provided by Ipas, Vietnamese providers have created model programs for high-quality abortion care.

This week, Ipas celebrated the 10th anniversary of working to transform abortion services in Vietnam from unresponsive to women’s needs to high-quality and woman-centered.

Ten years ago, women seeking abortions in Vietnam faced providers with no regard for their needs or circumstances and were not provided with links to contraceptive services to prevent future unwanted pregnancies and abortions. The techniques used to terminate pregnancy—even those used to prevent infection—did not meet international standards. This was particularly tragic in a country like Vietnam where abortion is legal, the health-care infrastructure is strong, and limited contraceptive options lead to a high demand for abortion.

Ipas provides technical assistance to the Ministry of Health and two leading obstetrics-gynecology teaching hospitals to implement a Comprehensive Abortion Care (CAC) project. This collaborative project has developed a model for high-quality abortion care at all levels of the health-care system in Vietnam, including commune health centers, district and provincial hospitals and teaching hospitals.

"The Comprehensive Abortion Care project has been successful in using a woman-centered approach to abortion services in Vietnam,” said Ms. Do Thi Hong Nga, Ipas Vietnam’s country director. “Not only have the clinical skills of providers been updated, the attitudes and behaviors of the providers towards clients have dramatically improved. Women now have choices and the right to decide about their care."

Through this extraordinary partnership, Vietnam now has model sites providing comprehensive abortion care that serve as technical resources for the rest of the country and as examples for other countries in the region, including Cambodia, Laos and Nepal.

"The CAC project is very successful, not only in improving services for women but also by contributing to national policy development,” said Dr. Nguyen Duy Khe, Deputy Director of the Reproductive Health Department of the Vietnam Ministry of Health. “In addition, the CAC project is very efficient; we don't spend a lot but what we achieve is tremendous."

Ipas began its work in Vietnam ten years ago as a partner in the Reproductive Health Projects, a partnership between the Ministry of Health, Pathfinder International, EngenderHealth, Ipas and eight Vietnamese provinces designed to improve comprehensive reproductive-health services. Through this partnership, Ipas has introduced modern, high-quality abortion techniques and promoted postabortion contraception services in the eight participating provinces in Vietnam.

For more information, contact media@ipas.org