About the Program
SAP-VN’s annual Mobile Care program started in 1994 by a group of young health professionals. While the program’s primary objective of providing free medical, dental, optometry, and pharmacy services to the people living in remote regions of Vietnam remains unchanged, new objectives were added in recent years. Our objectives include:
- To provide free medical, dental, optometry, and pharmacy services to underserved people living in remote regions of Vietnam.
- To work alongside health care professionals in Vietnam and bridge the knowledge between US educated and Vietnam educated health professionals.
- To introduce younger Vietnamese Americans to the heart of the Vietnamese people and countryside, and to pass on the spirit of volunteering.
Since 2016, our Mobile Care program has evolved to better meet the needs of those we serve. Dental services have expanded to enable each dentist to place fillings, perform cleanings, simple root canals, and extractions. Medical services now include electrocardiogram (EKGs) and ultrasounds to help detect underlying conditions in patients. New machines were purchased to help volunteer in our Optometry team to better assess patient’s eyesight. Our Pharmacy team is now able to provide medications to treat more conditions, and provide patients with a three month supply of medications.
In 2018, we introduced our Post-Mobile Care program. Patients with complex medical needs are referred to local hospitals for services such as complex surgery (heart, orthopedic, cataract, and dental) and medical and dental prosthetic. All medical, transportation, and meal expenses are sponsored by SAP-VN for the patient and their caretaker while they are hospitalized and receiving treatment for their condition.
In 2019, we initiated the Mobile Care gift and lunch program. All patients present at the mobile care site during lunch hour are provided with lunches. Gifts including bicycles, notebooks, pens and pencils, and food items are given to selected patients depending on need. The Mobile Scholarship program was also introduced in 2019 to help make it more affordable for student age volunteers with financial difficulty to attend the mission.
For more information regarding the mobile care trips, please check out the SAP-VN Junior Mobile Care website, created and run by our talented young mobile care volunteers.
For photos, videos, and essays submitted by volunteers from our most recent trip, please click HERE.
2019 Mobile Care
Program Summary
VIEW OUR MOBILE HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS:
Mobile Health Care Program 2019
Mobile Health Care Program 2017
Mobile Health Care Program 2015
Mobile Health Care Program 2014
Mobile Health Care Program 2013
Mobile Health Care Program 2012
Mobile Health Care Program 2011
Mobile Health Care Program 2010
Mobile Health Care Program 2009