MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
DATED JULY --, 2004

HIGHLAND EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION (HEDO)

And

INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR EQUAL HEALTHCARE ACCESS (ICEHA)

relating to

HEALTHCARE CAPACITY BUILDING FOR HIV PREVENTION AND CARE
IN SELECTED PROVINCES IN VIETNAM

THIS MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (the Memorandum) is made and entered into on July 14, 2004
BETWEEN:
(1) Highland Education development Organization located at Dai Co Viet, Hanoi, Vietnam (HEDO), and,
(2) International Center For Equal Healthcare Access with its seat at Post Office Box 1139, Princeton NJ 08542, USA, a non-profit corporation incorporated under the laws of New Jersey, USA (ICEHA);
(HEDO and ICEHA, each a Party, together the Parties.)

BACKGROUND:
(A) HEDO is a charitable organization in Vietnam whose purpose is to enhance education, health, and science in the remote mountainous provinces. HEDO focuses on implementing community and child care programs, hunger eradication and poverty reduction programs, prevention-of-drug-abuse-and-disease projects especially for the poorest ethnic minority people.

(B) ICEHA is a non profit organization of international infectious diseases physicians who volunteer technical assistance on HIV prevention & care, and on infectious diseases, to clinics in developing countries. ICEHA aims to ensure equal access to medical knowledge for all healthcare providers in the world resulting in equal access to healthcare for all people, with special attention to the poor and disadvantage populations. The programs primarily relate to the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS, to other infectious diseases, and to related poverty disease or conditions.
(C) This Memorandum represents the intentions of both parties agreed to in good faith, in the spirit of a close collaboration and of mutual respect, all of which are necessary to achieve the best outcome for the described projects.

PROJECT:
Both parties agree to work closely together and to contribute to the best of their ability in order to successfully accomplish the project described below:
1.1 The Project focuses on healthcare capacity building for HIV/AIDS prevention & care at the Provincial, District, and community clinics in selected provinces in Vietnam.
1.2 The ultimate goal of the Project is to help stem the spread of HIV in the poor, mountainous provinces of Vietnam and to increase the number of patients who receive HIV care, even when antiretroviral therapy is not yet available. The program has five specific objectives:
1. To increase the number of healthcare providers capable of delivering and reinforcing effective HIV prevention messages to their patient population (including non HIV-infected patients)
2. To directly cut HIV transmission occurring as a result of unsafe medical practices
3. To eliminate HIV stigma amongst healthcare providers (vis-à-vis their patients)
4. To increase the number of healthcare providers capable of caring for HIV/AIDS patients by improving their understanding of the disease (=build-up of human resources within the public healthcare sector)
5. To improve the quality of care offered to HIV/AIDS patients regardless of whether antiretroviral treatment is available
1.3 The Project contains three modules:
(a) Theoretical training workshops:
" The overall goal is to provide HIV/AIDS knowledge which serves as the basis for effective HIV transmission prevention and comprehensive HIV care. Theory is interspersed with case-based studies. The content adheres to the National treatment guidelines as issued by the Vietnamese government.
" The workshops target an audience comprising of physicians and HIV policy makers. Prior to attending, the participants are required to study the entire curriculum. The faculty consists of Vietnamese and international HIV / Infectious Diseases experts.
" Multiple workshops are conducted for the same audience over a period of 2 years, each workshop providing increasing complexity.
(b) Practical training (= clinical mentoring, clinical assistance):
" The goal of the clinical mentoring is to reinforce theoretical knowledge obtained during the workshops in the clinic setting and to help participants translate this knowledge into practical skills. Analyses of capacity building programs in developing countries have shown that workshops are optimally effective if followed by practical training.
" During this module, international experts provide clinical assistance to the healthcare providers at the provincial, district, and community level clinics. The international physicians do not provide direct patient care. The clinical assistance provided fits within the frame work of the national treatment guidelines and any other HIV/AIDS related directives as issued by the Vietnamese government.
(c) The HIV education working group:
" The goal of the HIV education working group is to provide a mechanism for continuing HIV medical education to healthcare providers working in remote and poor provinces in Vietnam.
" The HIV education working group brings together all participants of the previous Project modules (workshops and practical training) beyond the duration of these modules, to ensure that the knowledge gained during these modules is reinforced over the long term and is continuously updated with the latest disease prevention / care advances and national guidelines as appropriate.
" The HIV education working group organizes regional 2-day symposia or HIV conferences once or twice / year for its members and distributes HIV educational materials to its members.
" Oversight is provided by a working group committee to ensure that all activities provide the best HIV medical information available to all participants and at the same time closely adhere to all directives and guidelines as issued by the Vietnamese government.
1.4 The Project is authorized by the governing boards of HEDO and ICEHA and has been approved by the appropriate Vietnamese government representatives.
1.5 When necessary, HEDO and ICEHA commit to collaborate closely to identify and approach possible funders as the Project continues to expand.
CONFIRMATION OF MUTUAL INTENT
The parties hereby confirm their mutual intention to consult with each other regarding the Project, discuss matters relating to this Memorandum in good faith and endeavour to reconcile their views with regard to the approach, strategy, and manner of executing the Project with each other and, if necessary, with third parties.
LIABILITY
ICEHA agrees to indemnify and hold HEDO harmless from liability in respect of all loss, damage, actions, proceedings, claims, demands, costs, damages and expenses in respect of any injury to or the death of any person or damage to any property or in respect of the infringement, disturbance or destruction of any right by reason of or arising in any way directly or indirectly out of the Project.
HEDO agrees to indemnify and hold ICEHA harmless from liability in respect of all loss, damage, actions, proceedings, claims, demands, costs, damages and expenses in respect of any injury to or the death of any person or damage to any property or in respect of the infringement, disturbance or destruction of any right by reason of or arising in any way directly or indirectly out of the Project.
COMPLIANCE WITH LOCAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS
The Parties agree that it is their policy to comply with all applicable laws and mandatory requirements of any applicable governmental body in connection with the Project. Each Party will indemnify the other against any fines, costs or damages incurred by the other Party as a result of the indemnifying Party's failure to so comply.
SIGNATORIES
This Memorandum shall be effective from the date of execution by each of the Parties for a period of five years. Upon termination this memorandum may be renewed if both parties so desire. If necessary, changes may be made to this memorandum in a written addendum. Any changes must be agreed to by both parties.
Signed and executed in four copies (2 Vietnamese, 2 English) for and on behalf of:

HEDO:

_____________________________________
Prof. Trinh Ngoc Trinh
Director HEDO
[Date: Jul 14, 2004]

ICEHA:

________________________________
Dr. Marie Charles
Founder and President ICEHA
[Date: Jul 14, 2004]

Related links:
- INTRODUCTION OF HEDO
- International Center for Equal Healthcare Access Expands its Reach in Vietnam
- Preparing for Treatment in Viet Nam
- ICEHA's Programs - Vietnam 1 - Healthcare Capacity Building in the Northern Highland Provinces