Dr. Quynh Kieu was working in a local hospital when Saigon fell on April 29, 1975. Fearing possible imprisonment or execution, Dr. Kieu rushed home to collect personal possessions and tell her mother goodbye before leaving for the American embassy to flee the country. Dr. Kieu and her husband Chan were fortunate to reach the United States, and through the sponsorship of an American doctor were able to re-establish themselves here. Active in the community and within the Vietnamese population, Dr. Kieu has become a respected pediatrician and community leader. Her community service has attracted significant attention, and in 2002 she was selected as one of 20 community leaders to meet with President Bush during a visit to Orange County.

Interested in helping Vietnam's medical problems, Dr. Kieu and her husband founded Project Vietnam in 1997. Several times a year the Kieus head a medical team of volunteers to Vietnam to provide needed health care services and to train local doctors. Over a ten day period in November of 2003, Dr. Kieu's team of 152 volunteers performed 98 surgeries, saw 2,175 clinic patients and led seminars for health workers from 40 provinces.

Through the organization's continues success, Project Vietnam recently received a Congressional Recognition Award from Congressman Ed Royce on the House International Relations Committee. In 2004, the American Medical Association awarded Dr. Kieu with the "Pride in the Profession Award" which specifically recognizes the contributions of exemplary physicians who work in underserved areas or sacrifice their time for volunteer or public service efforts.

For more information, please visit http://www.projectvietnam.net.

Since the "Doi Moi" reforms started in 1987, Vietnam (VN) has successfully achieved a steady economic growth, and a rapid reduction of poverty. The living standards have improved markedly, but quite unevenly, as shown by Vietnam 1992-1993 Living Standard Survey (VLSS) where 90% of the poor live in the rural area. According to the newest 1997-1998 VLSS survey, the ratio of absolute poor, has dropped from 51% of the population to around 35% in 1998 (World Bank, Dec. 1998).

Despite the strides in economic progress, the rural health sector has remained stagnant. Under the old central-planning system, social services were free and the state was the sole provider and funder of services. Under the new system, user fees were introduced and private providers allowed to operate. The urban areas can rely on social insurance and social welfare while the rural social protection system depends largely on family support and informal mechanisms combined with public poverty alleviation programs. Increasingly rural recipients have to shoulder a large portion of the costs of health services as users' contributions have grown steadily. While more open, Vietnam still feels uneasy about private sector involvement in the delivery of the health services.