Friends of the Global Fund, Japan (FGFJ) took four members of the FGFJ Diet Task Force on a site visit to Vietnam from September 5 to 9, 2023. The visit happened to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Vietnamese-Japanese diplomatic relationship, thus under a heightened interest in appreciating and promoting the bilateral tie. During the visit, the delegation met with various stakeholders engaged in health issues in Viet Nam and they gained a better understanding of the achievements made to date and the impact of the Global Fund’s support.
Participating Members:
- Ichiro AISAWA, Member, House of Representatives (Liberal Democratic Party); Co-Chair of the FGFJ Diet Task Force
- Motohisa FURUKAWA, Member, House of Representatives (Democratic Party for the People); Co-Chair of the FGFJ Diet Task Force
- Mari TAKAGI, Member, House of Councillors (Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan)
- Asami TAMURA, Member, House of Councillors (National Democratic Party for the People)
Key Visits and Meetings:
- Visit to the National Lung Hospital
- Visit to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases
- Visit to the Hanoi Medical University Hospital and Sexual Health Promotion Clinic
- Meeting with the H.E. Dao Hong Lan, Minister of Health of Vietnam and representatives from the Ministry of Health
- Meetings with representatives from the Institute for Social Development Studies (ISDS), and the Center for Supporting Community Development Initiatives (SCDI)
- Meeting with grassroots organizations at “Cafe Hope”
- Meeting with senior officials from the World Health Organization (WHO) Vietnam Office
- Meeting with the Country Director of the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) in Vietnam
- Meeting with representatives of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Vietnam
- Meeting with Takio Yamada, Ambassador of Japan to Vietnam
- Meeting with officials from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Vietnam Office and those involved in the SATREPS project
*In the context of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Vietnam, this initiative has received certification as a 50th-anniversary designated project.
For more information on the results of Vietnam’s tuberculosis control with support from the Global Fund, please see the documentary series below that was produced for the 20th anniversary year of the Global Fund:
“It Always Starts with a Dream.”
Episode 1 (in Japanese): After Hovering Between Life and Death, She Has Become a Representative for Others and Offers Hope
This is the story of Phuong Anh, also known as Fiona, who was diagnosed with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) at a young age but was able to overcome the disease after treatment she received through support from the Global Fund. Fiona is supported by her family, doctors, and schoolteachers, and she has become a supporter herself for others undergoing TB treatment. She is an active advocate for measures to fight tuberculosis and is working to realize the dream of ending TB in Vietnam and around the world.
