HÀ NỘI — A student-led project is helping schools improve basic healthcare by providing first-aid cabinets tailored to their specific needs and teaching students how to respond to common minor injuries.

School healthcare plays an important role in providing initial care and protecting students’ health. However, at some schools in remote or disadvantaged areas, available first-aid supplies and practical health training may not fully match the ages of students, local conditions or actual needs.

The Aware to Care project, also known in Vietnamese as "Hiểu để thương", was established by a group of students to help address these differences. Instead of giving every school the same set of supplies, the group first studies the needs of each school and then prepares a suitable first-aid cabinet.

The project also organises basic health education and first-aid training to help students take a more active role in looking after themselves and dealing with minor injuries at school.

The Aware to Care project hands over a tailored first-aid cabinet to a school. Photo courtesy of the project

Before preparing a cabinet, the project team collects information about the school’s location, local weather, number of students and the age groups it serves.

Based on the survey, the team draws up a list of suitable medicines, supplies and equipment. Each cabinet contains several main groups of items, including common medicines such as fever and pain relief and digestive aids; first-aid supplies such as bandages, gauze, alcohol and antiseptic solution; medical tools such as thermometers and scissors; and instructions for dealing with basic situations.

The project receives professional advice from representatives of the Vietnam-Japan medical community, including Associate Professors and doctors Nguyễn Hải Anh and Hồ Thị Kim Thanh, and doctors Nguyễn Thị Ngọc, Kita Shinya and Nguyễn Quang Anh.

Their advice helps the team select appropriate supplies and prepare guidance materials in line with medical safety requirements.

Once a cabinet has been handed over, the project works with the school to organise practical first-aid sessions led by doctors. Students learn basic skills and how to respond to common injuries.

The programme also includes other activities, such as technology and robotics workshops and physical activities.

Students attend a session on basic first aid and how to respond to common injuries, with guidance from the project’s medical advisers. Photo courtesy of the project

So far, Aware to Care has organised health workshops for more than 1,500 students and donated five tailored first-aid cabinets to schools in Tuyên Quang, Khánh Hòa and Quảng Trị.

The participating schools in Tuyên Quang are Bình Phú Primary and Secondary School, Kiên Đài Semi-boarding Primary School for Ethnic Minority Students and Kiên Đài Semi-boarding Secondary School for Ethnic Minority Students.

The project has also worked with Bùi Thị Xuân Secondary School in Nha Trang, Khánh Hòa Province, and Hương Trạch Secondary and High School in Quảng Trị Province.

A representative of the management board at a school in Kiên Đài said the cabinet provided useful supplies that could be used immediately when an incident occurred.

“The first-aid cabinet is well stocked and practical, helping the students deal immediately with incidents at school,” the representative said. “Parents feel reassured knowing that the school has sufficient medicines and first-aid equipment for their children.”

To ensure that the cabinets are managed properly, each participating school assigns staff to oversee them and make sure the supplies are used in accordance with the relevant requirements.

Schools also provide feedback based on their actual use of the cabinets. The project team uses this information to adjust and improve the list of medicines and supplies over time.

Images and reports on the project’s activities are also provided to its sponsors.

Participating schools monitor the use of their first-aid cabinets and provide feedback to help the project improve the supplies and support it offers. Photo courtesy of the project

The students behind Aware to Care have also used their own skills to raise money for the project’s work.

They have worked with Đoàn Thị Điểm Secondary School in Hà Nội and Đằng Hải Secondary School in Hải Phòng to organise classes in debating, Model United Nations and presentation skills.

More than 400 students have taken part in the classes. The activities allow the project members to share their knowledge while raising funds to support visits to schools and other project activities.

The project’s student founder, Nguyễn Huy Thiên Bảo, said its purpose went beyond donating first-aid cabinets.

“I hope Aware to Care will not stop at providing first-aid cabinets, but will also help students gain the knowledge and skills they need to take an active role in protecting their own health,” Bảo said.

“I also hope the project can create opportunities for students from cities like us to connect with others, share our knowledge and bring healthcare values to students in different areas.

“Through this, we want to help build a community where people care for and support one another and create positive change.”

Members of Aware to Care organise activities to raise funds and extend health support to more schools. Photo courtesy of the project VNS

All Aware to Care activities are conducted on a non-profit basis, according to the project. It also reports its activities to sponsors and follows the regulations of each participating school. VNS