Over several days of community visits in Duc Linh, one challenge appeared again and again: the impact of illness on daily life.
While poor families in Vietnam receive health insurance from the government, many necessary treatments and hospital costs are not fully covered. As a result, families often face high out-of-pocket expenses, forcing them to make difficult decisions, sometimes even selling assets or taking on debt just to afford basic care.
In one family of six, the father works with rubber trees, earning around 300,000 VND per day, but only during part of the year. His 17-year-old son already supports him and hopes to find a factory job soon. The mother, however, has lost vision in one eye and cannot afford the treatment she needs. Without a second stable income, the family depends heavily on support, including scholarships for their children and the possibility of starting pig farming with help from Thien Chi.
In another household, the consequences of illness and injury are even more severe. The father became paralyzed after a beekeeping accident and is no longer able to work. The mother takes on small jobs, but as she also cares for their young children, her earning opportunities are limited. A small government allowance and additional support from Thien Chi help, but covering daily expenses remains a constant struggle.
We also met a 66-year-old woman who supports herself through small-scale farming while caring for her adult daughter, who has a severe mental illness and cannot work. Medical needs and daily care create a heavy burden, even though some support is available.
In another family, the father suffers from gastrointestinal bleeding and requires regular hospital treatment. However, much of the cost is not covered by insurance, leaving the family to pay large sums themselves. At the same time, the mother works long days selling food in the morning and cleaning houses in the afternoon to support their four daughters, all of whom are still in school.
Similar challenges appeared in other families we visited. In one household of seven, a daughter with a mental disability requires constant care and monthly hospital visits, adding to the financial strain. In another, two children suffer from a serious blood-related illness and need ongoing treatment. Despite receiving some support and even living in a newly funded house, the costs of healthcare and education remain high.
Across all these visits, it became clear that illness does not only affect health, it directly impacts a family’s ability to work, earn, and plan for the future. Even with government insurance and external support, medical costs remain one of the biggest obstacles to financial stability.