Environmental and occupational health

As a result of rapid industrialization, urbanization and increase in motor vehicles, Viet Nam's environmental pollution has become a serious and growing health issue. Urban air pollution, solid and hazardous waste, and man-made disasters and emergencies are taking their toll on people’s health. Solving these problems requires cooperation from the health and environmental sectors.

WHO’s Environmental and Occupational Health Programme provides support to Viet Nam on enhancing capacity and promoting prevention activities that reduce environmental hazards to health, enhance safety and promote public health by addressing pressing issues in water and sanitation, air pollution, chemical safety, healthcare waste management, occupational health and climate change.

The programme also focuses on setting up a National Action Plan for Environmental Health (NEHAP) and establishment of Health Impact Assessment process for any development projects in Vietnam. WHO provides technical support to address air quality and chemical safety issues. In order to raise awareness about the health impact of environmental hazards, WHO and other partners train Ministry of Health officials in areas of health care waste in hospitals and pilot non-incineration technologies for treatment and disposal of health care waste.

Publications and documents

Water safety planning for small community water supplies

The manual is a complete instruction of how to implement Water safety plan in small community supplies, including guidance, examples and case studies for water suppliers in rural areas.

Contact details

World Health Organization Representative Office Viet Nam
63 Tran Hung Dao Street
Ha Noi
Viet Nam
Telephone: +84 4 3943 3734 / 5 / 6
Facsimile: +84 4 3943 3740
E-mail: media.vtn@wpro.who.int