V-SMART start up in all provinces

The V-SMART study, co-funded by NAFOSTED and Australian NHMRC is a study on health and technology. The study harnesses new mobile health technologies (a “Bac Sy Minh” smartphone application) to strengthen the management of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Vietnam. The study was successfully launched in seven cities and in the provinces of Hanoi, Thanh Hoa, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, An Giang and Tien Giang via two centralised workshops held 16-17 July and 21-22 July.

The workshops actively engaged the leaders, doctors and nurses from seven Provincial Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Hospitals. Participants were introduced to the study design, learnt how to use the application, and practised enrolling patients with data collection procedures. Activation of the sites will commence in August 2020 by the National Lung Hospital and the Woolcock team and technical support will be provided to healthcare workers to ensure that eligible study participants are recruited and baseline data collected.