President Tran Dai Quang and outstanding preventive medicine workers.

Experiencing forty years of development (1977-2017), the Institute of Malariology, Parasitology and Entomology Quy Nhon (IMPE-QN), o­ne of 13 preventive medicine institutes directly under the Ministry of Health (MoH), has actively contributed in the achievement of the Preventive Medicine of Vietnam during 60 years of innovation and development (1956-2016).

On 5 December 2016, at the My Dinh National Convention Center, Hanoi capital, the Ministry of Health held the "60^th Anniversary of Preventive Medicine" with the presence of the leaders of Party and Goverment, leaders of concerned ministries/sectors; former and incumbent leaders of MoH; leaders of General Department of Preventive Medicine, HIV/AIDS Control Department, Food Safety Department, Health Environment Management Agency and the department/ bureau/ office of the MoH; former and incumbent leaders of the Preventive Medicine Institutes directly under the MoH and Preventive Medicine delegates in localities with lots of contributions in the preventive health achievements.

On this momentous occasion, three delegates of IMPE Quy Nhon including Assoc.Prof. Nguyen Van Chuong-Director, Assoc.Prof. Trieu Nguyen Trung-Former Director, Doctor level II specialization Bui Dinh Bai-Former Director of Sub-IMPE-QN were honour to meet the President and receive "Dang Van Ngu Awards 2016".

Assoc.Prof. Trieu Nguyen Trung, Assoc.Prof. Nguyen Van Chuong were honourably offerred commomerative presents by President Tran Dai Quang at the "60th Anniversary of Preventive Medicine".

The collective excellently accomplishing its missions

The Institute of Malariology, Parasitology and Entomology Quy Nhon (IMPE-QN) has grown out of the formerly Malaria Research Station in the middle part of Central Vietnam based in Quy Nhon then the Sub-Institute of Malariology, Parasitology and Entomology Quy Nhon by the Decision No. 259/BYT/QD dated o­n the March 8^th, 1977 of the Ministry of Health. As a specialized institute directly under the Ministry of Health, the IMPE-QN is responsible of conducting scientific research and providing specialized guidelines o­n the control of malaria, other parasitic and vector-borne diseases in 15 provinces of Central Vietnam and West Highlands, including 11 of the central coastal area (from Quang Binh to Binh Thuan) and four West-Highland provinces (Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Dak Lak, and Dak Nong). Central Vietnam is not o­nly the country's most severely-hit region by malaria with the annual morbidity and mortality accounting for almost 50% and 80% of the national figures, respectively; but also a hot spot of zoonoses (diseases and infections that are naturally transmitted between vertebrate animals and humans-WHO) such as fascioliasis, opisthorchiasis, taeniasis, cysticercosis, toxocariasis, strongyloidiasis, gnasthostomiasis; and other vector-borne diseases including dengue fever, lymphatic filariasis, ricklettsia and so o­n that are imposing considerable impact o­n the overall health, the production and fighting capacities of the people and army forces in the region.

Every year, the scientific studies of the Institute (approximate 18-20 studies annually) generally aim at dealing real-life and urgent issues. In addition, the annual plans for activities of departments are discussed in detail and deployed properly. Also, members of the directorate pay regular visits to the grass-roots levels to grasp the actual malaria situation then to provide detailed directions. Malaria control activities are targeted mainly at mobile and migrant population, cross-border people and areas at risk of resistance. Moreover, attention is always paid o­n the activities of information, education and communication, which are flexible depending o­n each typical area . The development of the microscopic network is considered important to assist the physicians in terms of accurate diagnosis and prompt treatment, then to achieve malaria elimination in the future. Eventually, the outstanding results of malaria control in Central Vietnam, characterized by decreased malaria morbidity and mortality (formerly in dozens of deaths, now in units) and no outbreaks in consecutive years, could not be assured without the activities and active directions of the Institute leadership together with the great efforts of staff from various departments, the high resolutions of the health sector in 15 regional provinces, the guidelines and supports from the Ministry of Health and its affiliates, the projects from inland and foreign countries, and the military health forces.

Institute staff crossing stream in their mission at the field.

Apart from research into malaria control, the Institute studies o­n controlling other parasitic and vector-borne diseases are intensified in Central Vietnam. Various IMPE-level and ministry-level studies o­n fascioliasis, gnasthostomiasis, toxocariasis are practically applied to diagnosis and treatment of these diseases. The IMPE-QN as an entity of the preventive medicine system is permitted by the Ministry of Health to operate the specialized clinic, which performs effectively and is renown both inland and overseas. With the investment of modern equipment from the Ministry of Health (32-parameter hemolyzer, ELISA Immuno Explorer, Luminometer, colour ultrasound, colour duplex ultrasonography machine, digital X-ray system, gastroscopic machine, and molecular-biological based diagnostic equipment), well-experienced and highly-skilled staff, and ISO accredited laboratories, everyday the IMPE Clinic admits from 300-500 patients from inland and overseas for diagnosis and treatment. This can not o­nly help to ease the pressure of patient intakes from hospitals, but also contribute to protecting people's health and improve the living standards for the staff-members of the Institute.

Institute staff detecting helminths and distributing drugs to the people at the community.

The construction of the working facilities is always of great interests from the Institute Communist Party Committee and Directorate. High agreements between the directorate and the staff-members of the Institute and the support from the Ministry of Health have resulted in a newly-constructed 7-storey building with its elegant and modern appearance, facilitating favourable conditions for staff to work, study, and be ready to provide help against epidemic diseases in the region.

As it puts a great importance in training, the Institute has been maintaining its training activities for 38 courses of approximate 2,000 intermediate-level medical technicians presently working throughout the countrywide health network. Since 2014, the Institute was allowed by the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Health to provide training of multi-disciplinary laboratory technicians for 150 students annually. In addition, the Institute has been working with the Hanoi Medical University, the Vietnam Military Medical University, Hai Phong Medical Univeristy, Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Tay Nguyen Univerisy, and the National Institute of Malariology, Parasitology and Entomology for jointly training for post-graduate students. Annually, the Institute sends staff to education institutions both inland and overseas for their upgrading skills and knowledge, especially those subject to post-graduate education.

Institute staff applying modern equipments in diagnosing and treating helminthiasis.

            Experiencing forty years of development (08 March1977-08 March 2017), under the direct leadership of the Ministry of Health, the Directorates and staff-members of the Institute, together with provincial centres for preventive medicine or provincial centres of malaria control of the central Vietnam have strived for overcoming challenges and achieving the assigned work efficiently. Since the very first years of establishment, the IMPE-QN has continuously secured and developed resources to upgrade and expand its physical facilities and working equipment; and to provide well-trained technical staff in response to the healthcare requirements of people living in severely-hit areas of diseases and the country's major socio-economic development areas as well.

Today, with its newly-built working facility, fully-developed and highly-skilled staff, modern equipment, concerns from the Ministry of Health, and the cooperation of the involved bodies and sectors in 15 regional provinces, the IMPE-QN has been implementing active malaria control and advancing to malaria elimination as the issued roadmap by the Prime Minister. In the mean time, it is also undertaking research into control of emerging parasitic and vector-borne diseases; so as to be capable of dealing with diseases and epidemics in the new era.

The staff of IMPE Quy Nhon

With the above-mentioned outstanding contributions and achievements, the IMPE-QN has been recognized by the Central Communist Party and Government of Vietnam with a great deal of noble rewards, including: Honorable Name of Labour Hero in the Renovation Time (2007), 2^nd Grade Independence Medal (2011), 3^rd Grade Independence Medal (2005), 1^st Grade Labour Medal (1997), 2^nd Grade Labour Medal (1985), 3^rd Grade Labour Medal (1981), 3^rd Grade Liberation Medal (1974); emulation flags of the government (2012, 2009, 2005), of the Ministry of Health (2014, 2011, 2010, 2003) and various Certificates of Merit the Ministry of Health; emulation flags of the Provincial People?s Committee of Binh Dinh (2015, 2008) and various Certificates of Merit. A lot of departments and staff-members of the IMPE-QN were awarded 3^rd and 2^nd Grade Labour Medals, Certificates of Merit by the government, the Ministry of Health and the Provincial People's Committee of Binh Dinh. Also, the State President awarded the "People's Physician" title to three medical doctors and "Meritorious Physician" to seven others; and the Prime Minister awarded four staff-members the title "National Emulative Figure".

Bringing into play the achieved outcomes, all the staff-members of the Institute with creative working motivation, enthusiasm, and devotion to their professional careers decidedly strive for the perfect accomplishment of assigned tasks and roll back of epidemic diseases so as to deserve the trust of the Central Communist Party, the Government, the Ministry of Health, and the people.    

Other news »

---

• Suddenly getting parasites from harmful habits (06/28/2024)
• The collaborative mission between IMPE-QN and WHO investigates malaria situation in Khanh Hoa Province (06/12/2024)
• Passion of the female staff members of IMPE-QN about scientific research (10/26/2023)
• The collaborative mission between IMPE-QN and WHO investigates malaria situation in Gia Lai province (05/12/2023)
• Conference on summing-up of malaria control and elimination in Central Vietnam in 2022 and Ceremony to announce decision on recognizing achievement of malaria elimination criteria to Thua Thien Hue province (12/25/2022)