On April 2026, with a shared commitment to improving maternal and newborn healthcare in underserved communities, the Neonatal Care Program, implemented by Vietnam Children’s Fund Social Enterprise in partnership with the donor – Minh Ha Foods, has donated eight essential medical equipment to Muong Ang Medical Center in Dien Bien Province. The total value of the donation exceeds VND 280 million.
Located in a remote mountainous area with limited infrastructure, Muong Ang is among the most disadvantaged area in Dien Bien Province and across Vietnam, as defined under Decision No. 353 of the Prime Minister. Although it is only about 33 kilometers from Dien Bien Phu City, travel can take nearly an hour due to challenging terrain, creating significant barriers for local residents seeking access to healthcare services.
Against this backdrop, Muong Ang Medical Center plays a critical role in delivering healthcare to the community, serving thousands of patients each year – particularly pregnant women and newborns. However, the facility continues to face a shortage of essential medical equipment, including infant warmers, phototherapy units, and incubators. Notably, the center currently has only one Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine for the entire facility. This shortage poses significant risks in the care of premature infants, newborns with complications, and pneumonia cases, which tend to rise during seasonal transitions.
The lack of medical equipment, combined with limited specialized healthcare personnel, has contributed to neonatal mortality and child malnutrition rates in highland areas such as Muong Ang being two to three times higher than the national average. In 2023, approximately 33% of newborns in the medical center required referral to higher-level facilities for further treatment.
In response to these urgent needs, the Neonatal Care Program, with the support of Minh Ha Foods, continues its mission to safeguard newborn lives by providing essential medical equipment and strengthening the capacity of healthcare workers to deliver quality neonatal care at Muong Ang Medical Center.
The eight neonatal medical devices donated in this initiative include: one Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine; one infant warmer; one phototherapy; one injection pump; one infusion pump; one electrocardiogram (ECG) machine; and two pulse oximeters (SpO₂ machines).
