Vietnam's central province of Thua Thien-Hue officially initiated a project on February 21 which looks to provide better healthcare for people with disabilities during the 2018-2021 period. Funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) via the Action to the Community Development Centre (ACDC), the project is valued at nearly VND6 billion ($263,726) and will last until August 30, 2021. It is designed to improve the capacity of competent organizations and agencies in the locality so that they can offer better support to those in need, and accelerate the implementation of policies to assist the local people with disabilities. According to the provincial Department of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs, the project is built on the outcomes of the 2015-2018 period which saw the establishment of an association of people with disabilities in the city of Hue, and another in A Luoi district which also represents orphaned children. During the past three-year period, over 860 people with disabilities and their families were able to take part in courses on their legal rights and benefits, while over 2,480 others received free legal consultations. Thua Thien-Hue is home to a disabled community of more than 34,600 people (including nearly 4,600 children) – some 22,100 of whom are already covered by social welfare policies. (VOV Feb 22)
