“In the past, I never paid attention to or understood much about sexual and reproductive health (SRH). I thought that as long as I carried on with daily life and took care of my family, everything was fine. I didn’t realize that this is such an important part of protecting lasting happiness,” shared Mr. Phan Nguyen Quoc Vinh sincerely after receiving free SRH services at the Commune Health Center in Co Do commune, Can Tho City.

In Dong Hiep and Co Do communes (formerly Thoi Xuan and Dong Thang communes, and Co Do town), the lives of persons with disabilities are often confined within four walls, with little opportunity to share their SRH needs in a safe environment. A rapid survey conducted in project communes in Can Tho revealed a sobering reality: nearly 88% of persons with disabilities have no stable employment, of which 62% are men. Notably, 75% of the 213 respondents were still single. Access to health information, especially on SRH, is often postponed due to livelihood struggles or the challenges of mobility.

Mr. Vinh, a person with a mobility disability, lives quite independently. From cleaning to cooking and caring for his wife and two young children, he manages everything himself. He is among the few persons with disabilities in the area who have married and taken charge of their own lives. Yet, despite having health insurance and being able to move around independently, he had never used it to seek SRH services. He admitted: “I truly didn’t know, and I never thought I had the right to access such sensitive services.”

The turning point came when the integrated SRH campaign organized by Can Tho CDC, with technical support from the Ministry of Health and UNFPA, was implemented. The project created a comprehensive support ecosystem: training health workers and organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) on guidelines on provision of SRH services for PWDs and behaviour communication change on SRHR for PWDs. With the motto “going door to door, reaching every household,” the SRH service provision campaign and communication sessions to local community influencers, PWDs and their family members/cares ensured that even those with the greatest mobility challenges were not left behind.

During the campaign, Mr. Vinh and many other persons with disabilities accessed specialized SRH services right in their community: reproductive health screening for men and women; gynecological exams and VIA tests for cervical cancer screening; personalized counseling on SRH care and family planning tailored to health conditions and disability types; provision of contraceptives such as condoms, oral contraceptives, and IUDs; counseling and treatment for women diagnosed with gynecological infections; guidance for those with positive VIA results; support in using SRH services at commune health stations adapted to diverse needs; and referrals for cases requiring advanced interventions.

Experiencing professional services for the first time, Mr. Vinh recalled emotionally: “The doctors examined me thoroughly and patiently explained the treatment, even how to take medicine step by step. Their dedication made me feel truly respected and cared for.”

This experience became a turning point in the mindset of the father of two. He confided: “After this, I realized I must change my daily lifestyle to better protect my health and care for my family. I want to learn much more about this field.” Beyond awareness, he affirmed that he would now proactively use health insurance to access SRH services regularly, rather than waiting for project support.

Finally, Mr. Vinh expressed a heartfelt expectation: “I hope the community and the government will have more supportive policies so that persons with disabilities like us can access healthcare equally, especially SRH services, so that everyone has the same opportunity to be cared for.”

Mr. Vinh’s journey is one of many stories of persons with disabilities benefiting from interventions that promote access to SRH information and services for PWDs. It is also a powerful testament that when healthcare is delivered with empathy and dedication, it can ignite hope and bring sustainable changes to families, ensuring that no one is left behind.