VCAPS 3 study which is a pilot intervention to combat CRD and promote smoking cessation in three district health facilities in Hanoi officially commenced its recruitment late March 2019. Up to now, there are 315 patients with respiratory disease managed in the program, 221 others are joining smoking cessation support of VCAPS 3. It is noted that there are a slight overlap of these two figures in which a number of patients participate in both interventions.

Regarding the CRD intervention, there are 70, 143 and 102 patients being treated using VCAPS treatment algorithm at Me Linh, Thach That and Thuong Tin respectively in parallel with VCAPS phone call follow up. It is encouraging that the revisit at 4 weeks of these participants stands at 88%. Meanwhile the follow up rate via phone call at 3 months, 6 months and 9 months are 94%, 90% and 89% by March 16th,2020. Most of the patients provide positive feedback on VCAPS study procedures from clinical examination to medication dispensing and consultation through in-depth interviews carried out by VCAPS team late 2019. The concrete plan of VCAPS until June 2020 is to maintain patients contact and support their CRD management which stresses on patient well-being and closely tracks any adverse event that might be experienced by the participants.

The VCAPS team, in another effort, is working to promote smoking cessation among patients and staff at the study sites. 221 participants including few healthcare workers are receiving counselling and quitting support from VCAPS call center. So far the follow up rate in smoking cessation ranges from 76% to 88% at different follow up milestones and the team constantly works to improve interaction with patients and counselling service.

In the coming weeks VCAPS team will maintain contact with study sites and start the discussion with health facilities to sustain patient follow up and treatment. While we are trying to maintain the follow up rate for VCAPS 3, we aim to get a more important objective that the patients will continue to get proper care and treatment after the study completes. This will be one focus in our final period of VCAPS 3.