Vu Thi Thu Nga, MD, PhD, Principal Investigator

Dr. Vu Thi Thu Nga has over 15 years of experience managing and providing technical supports for HIV-related programming across prevention, care, and treatment in Vietnam. She is also experienced in conducting health research and evaluating public health interventions, covering key public health issues such as HIV/AIDS, substance use, sexual health, mother and child care, nutrition, and tuberculosis , COVID-19. She has served as different capacities, such as Principal or Co-investigator, and technical consultant on numerous health evaluations, projects and studies funded by organizations such as UNODC, FHI360, Pact, CARE International, Queensland University of Technology, MCNV, EPiC project FHI360, Chemonics International, and WHO.

Education

PhD of Social Sciences (2017): University of New South Wales, Australia

Master of Public Health Methodology: Universite Libre De Brussels

MD: Hanoi Medical University

Selected Research Projects

Vietnam successful HIV Sustainable Financing Case Study, APLMA, responsible for analyzing technical, political, policy advocacy efforts and other interventions to secure long-term sustainable financing mechanism for HIV/AIDS program in Vietnam. (6-7/2022). Consultant

EPiC project FHI360. Training curricular on COVID-19 related IPC, COVID-19 case management, and mental health support for healthcare workers and other technical assistant activities. (10/2021-2/2022). Curriculum Advisor Consultant

Strengthening the Preparedness and Response to COVID-19 at the Grassroots Level in Vietnam project, Institute for Social Development Studies. (05/2020-11/2021) Chief Technical Manager.

Malaria Budget Advocacy: Strengthen domestic financing for malaria through subnational leadership and advocacy. The University of California at Sans Fransisco (2-6/2021). Senior Consultant.

Gender sensitive and responsive assessment of Government of Vietnam’s COVID-19 social support and resilience policies, CSAGA. (1-5/2021). Consultant.

Support Vietnam Administration of AIDS Control (VAAC) with the development of a tenofovir/lamivudine/dolutegravir (TLD) 300/300/50mg National Transition Plan TLDNTP). Chemonics International. (3-5/2020).

Assessment of a passive surveillance of sexually transmitted infections in Vietnam; a community-based HIV testing pilot in Vietnam. 6-9/2020. WHO, consultant.

Oxford University Clinical (6/2019- 9/2020), Head of Research Unit:

This role involves overseeing various aspects of research studies conducted by the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU) in Vietnam. This includes working with principal investigators to finalize research proposals, overseeing ethical applications, site visits and inspections, and developing costing and implementation plans. The position also involves supervising the development of standard operating procedures, providing ethical training to investigators, and overseeing the collection of clinical data and research samples. Additionally, the role involves managing a team of clinical research coordinators, providing training to research teams, overseeing protocol and CRF development and implementation, and acting as a liaison with regulators and ethical committees.

VinUni. (8/2017- 7/2019): Educational Specialist

The role involves leading simulation training programs for doctors, nurses, and other healthcare staff at Vinmec Hospital chain in Vietnam. It also includes developing and coordinating a comprehensive training curriculum on communication skills, including communication scenarios and training actors, and providing support for instructors. Additionally, the position involves coordinating and leading American Heart Association training courses on basic and advanced life support for adult and pediatric patients across Vietnam and acting as a focal point in Vietnam for AHA’s certified International Training Center.

 

Pact Vietnam, 5/2007-5/2009. Senior Care and treatment Program Officer

The role involves managing various HIV-related prevention, care, and treatment programs in terms of program planning, implementation, and budgeting. The responsibilities include supporting partners in developing and designing their programs, providing technical support and guidance in implementing community-based care and support programs, and developing a monitoring, evaluation and reporting system. The role also involves collaborating with government and non-government partners to ensure timely project implementation, negotiating with partners and USAID for the next fiscal year’s plan, and representing the Pact Care and Treatment team in meetings and technical working group meetings.

 

Theme HIV/AIDS, ActionAid Viet Nam (5/2006-4/2007), Senior Officer

As the Senior Program Officer for ActionAid Vietnam’s HIV/AIDS prevention section, responsibilities include developing and implementing the organization’s prevention strategy, providing technical support and capacity building to staff and partners, participating in the development of the M&E system, collaborating with other sections to integrate gender issues and mainstream prevention, and carrying out advocacy work.

Other grant research:

  • Sexual risk among Vietnam’s men who have sex with men using amphetamine-type-stimulants (ATS) in the context of sex. A mixed method study. Co-Principal
  • A qualitative study of stigma and discrimination towards gay men, bisexual men and other men who have sex with men. 2014 Research Consultant
  • Community-based Randomized Controlled Study to increase awareness and utilization of vaccination services for reproductive age women in Vietnam and Lao. 2013. Principal Investigator
  • Longitudinal Observational Study to monitor side effects of Tenofovir and Effaviren among patients on Antivitrovirus treatment in HIV clinics in Hanoi. 2013. Researcher.
  • Mortality and early prognosis factors of patients on ARV treatment in Outpatient Clinics of Hanoi, Vietnam. 2013. Completed. Co-Principal Investigator.
  • An assessment of immunological changes of patients on ARV treatment in Outpatient Clinics of Hanoi, Vietnam. 2013. Completed. Co-Principal Investigator.
  • Sex, Drugs and Health of men who have sex with men in Vietnam. 2014. Principal Investigator.
  • Metal health problems of amphetamine-type stimulants induced- psychosis in-patients hospitalized in National Institute of Mental Health, Bach Mai Hospital. 2012. Completed. Co-Principal Investigator.
  • Social capital and therapeutic itineraries of Vietnamese people in Thai Nguyen, Khanh Hoa, Phu Yen and Vinh Long province, a study of SSRC. 2011. Main responsibilities include data analysis and report writing
  • Climate change and impact to shipping construction workers’ health. Hai Phong, Vietnam, 2012. Co-Investigator.
  • KAP towards cancer among population of Vo Nhai district, Thai Nguyen province, 2010. Main responsibilities include sampling strategy, questionnaire development, and data collection.
  • Training needs assessment for the development of HIV prevention, care and treatment, palliative care and methadone treatment training programs. 2010. Main responsibilities include participating in developing proposal, questionnaire development.
  • Stigma and discrimination towards people living with HIV from patient’s perspective. 2008. Main responsibility is participating in developing questionnaire
  • Knowledge, attitude and smoking behaviors of Hanoi School of Public Health students. 2005. Main responsibilities include questionnaire development, qualitative data collection
  • Nutrition status and daily diet of pupils at Trang An Primary School, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi. 1997. Principal Investigator.