User-managed public health promotion initiative in Mekong Delta of Vietnam

The Mekong Delta of Vietnam is prone to slow onset of floods. As a result, men, women and children lose their lives, assets and livelihoods. The Government of Vietnam has adopted a policy of shifting them from low lying areas to specially developed residential clusters. More than 300 clusters have been built in the Mekong Delta and on an average 100-300 families live in each cluster. But in the residential clusters developed in Dong Thap Province, no safe water and hygienic sanitation facilities were provided; therefore they were obliged to drink canal water and were affected by water-borne diseases. Oxfam and Red Cross piloted a water-sanitation health promotion project in two such clusters. In addition to installation of watsan facilities, the project also created capacity for operation and maintenance of the facilities by the beneficiaries. This capacity building initiative has helped in ensuring the long-term sustainability of the watsan system.