Ass. Pro. Dr Nguyen Thi Lien Huong, chaired the First Quarter 2025 Plenary Meeting of CCM Vietnam

On the afternoon of February 20, 2025, at the United Nations Office in Hanoi, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Lien Huong – Deputy Minister of Health and Chair of the Vietnam Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, presided over the CCM Viet Nam First Quarter 2025 Plenary Meeting for the 2024-2026 term.

The meeting was attended by The CCM leadership and members (both official and alternate) for the 2024-2026 term, including representatives from government agencies, development partners, civil society/community organizations, CCM committees and technical sub – committee, as well as principal recipients (PRs) such as the Vietnam Administration of HIV/AIDS Control (VAAC), the National Lung Hospital, the National Institute of Malariology, Parasitology and Entomology, VUSTA, and several sub-recipients (SRs). Observers included representatives from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Local Fund Agent (LFA), invited guests, and online participants.

Based on reports from the CCM Secretariat, the Oversight Committee, and the PRs, delegates discussed:

• CCM’s FY 2024 performance and the FY 2025 work plan;
• Findings from oversight visits conducted in Q4/2024;
• Local shortages of ARVs, financial constraints, and procurement approval process.

Delegates commended the CCM Secretariat for its effective operations and clearer information sharing compared to last year. As the bridge between PRs and the Global Fund, CCM is expected to continue serving as a platform to help stakeholders maximize the value of the Global Fund’s support.

It was noted that the aid landscape has changed significantly over the past four weeks, with substantial funding cuts anticipated. All parties must use resources efficiently, resolve bottlenecks, and accelerate disbursement of donor funds.

Delegates discussed and proposed recommendations to the government, donors, and relevant stakeholders, summarized as follows:

Recommendations to the Ministry of Health

• Expedite the issuance of accounts in the State Treasury and Budget Management Information System (TABMIS) to enable timely activity implementation.
• Approve the continuation of the “Umbrella” project model.
• Allow project owners flexibility to adjust budgets in line with donor-approved activities

Recommendations to CCM

• Advocate for a mechanism allowing economic contracts with provincial focal units for project implementation, and for exemption from corporate income tax for such contracts.
• Support expediting approval of annual work plans and TABMIS accounts.
• Propose that the Global Fund cover allowances for staff involved in project implementation.
• Organize a meeting between VUSTA and VAAC to address funding gaps for the safe disposal of used syringes, which are currently unsupported by health projects, causing stockpiles and risks for CBOs.

Recommendations to the Global Fund

• Support PRs in aligning grant management policies with Vietnam’s regulations (including the Global Fund directly signing sub-grant agreements with SRs).
• Allow for reprogramming of project plans.
• Continue funding support to Vietnam to achieve malaria elimination targets.

The meeting concluded at 17:15 on February 20, 2025