Institute of Population, Health and Development

What Institute of Population, Health and Development does

PHAD (Viện Dân số, Sức khỏe và Phát triển) is a Hanoi-based non-profit scientific and technical organization operating under the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA). The institute conducts interdisciplinary public health research, training, and field interventions targeting vulnerable populations in Vietnam, including older persons, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and populations affected by HIV/AIDS, non-communicable diseases, and mental health conditions. Its flagship programs include the Longitudinal Study of Ageing and Health in Viet Nam (LSAHV, a 6,050-person nationally representative panel with Wave 2 in 2026), the M2Q2 mHealth smoking cessation project in partnership with UMass Medical School and Bach Mai Hospital, and the USAID-funded Hold My Hand I and II disability rehabilitation initiatives in Binh Dinh, Quang Nam, and Kon Tum provinces.

The institute's technology stack centers on mHealth and eHealth platforms: SMS-based infectious disease surveillance, an electronic Health Management Information System (HMIS) for commune health services, a Disability Information System (DIS), and longitudinal data collection infrastructure. Other programs include the Vietnam Local Works for Environmental Health (USAID, five years, Thanh Hoa), community-based depression self-management (MAC-FI) with Simon Fraser University and University of Melbourne, infectious disease and HIV/AIDS research, and capacity-building courses such as the USAID-funded Pediatric Speech Therapy Training Course delivered with Pham Ngoc Thach Medical University.

PHAD's business model is grant-funded research execution rather than commercial product sales. Revenue is sourced from competitive grant awards and donor-funded projects from organizations including USAID, NIH/Fogarty International Center, ERIA, Grand Challenges Canada, PEPFAR, UNFPA, WHO, and the Czech Republic. Go-to-market is community-led, with delivery through direct technical assistance to Vietnamese government health agencies (Ministry of Health, VAAC, provincial health departments), partnerships with hospitals (Bach Mai, National Hospital of Tropical Diseases), and field implementation in 10+ provinces via commune health stations. Marketing is conducted through bilingual website content, academic publications, conference participation, and donor engagement rather than commercial channels.

Name

Institute of Population, Health and Development

Legal name

Institute of Population, Health and Development (PHAD)

Website

https://phad.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PHAD (Viện Dân số, Sức khỏe và Phát triển) is a Hanoi-based non-profit research institute under VUSTA that conducts public health research, training, and field interventions targeting vulnerable populations in Vietnam, funded by grants from USAID, NIH, ERIA, and other international donors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Health Research

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Administration of Public Health Programs (92312)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAJAKAN

Global Health Research, Evidence & Technical Assistance Organizations

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Public Health, Government & Regulators/Global Health & Development Agencies (NGOs/Multilaterals)

SECONDARYBPAIAJAM

Health Data, Vital Statistics & Population Health Informatics

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Public Health Administration & Regulation

SECONDARYHLAJAMAA

Public Health Strategy, Policy & Legislation

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Public Health, Government & Regulators/Public Health Policy & Administration

Keywords

• Public health research
• Health systems research
• Maternal and child health
• Non-communicable disease research
• Population health studies

Headquarters

HQ city

Hanoi

HQ country

Vietnam

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Research Grants and Project Funding: PHAD operates as a non-profit organization receiving funding from international donors, government agencies, and development organizations for conducting public health research, training, and intervention programs. Revenue comes primarily through competitive grant funding rather than commercial sales.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

PHAD conducts public health research, epidemiological studies, and community-based health interventions in Vietnam, with a focus on aging, mental health, HIV/AIDS, infectious diseases, disability, and maternal and child health. It also provides training, technical assistance, and policy recommendations to government, academic, and international development partners, supported by mHealth and health information system tools.

Product overview

PHAD is an interdisciplinary public health research institute under the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA). Rather than a traditional software product company, PHAD offers a portfolio of public health research programs, intervention projects, and capacity-building training courses. The core offerings include longitudinal aging research (LSAHV), mHealth smoking cessation programs (M2Q2), disability rehabilitation services (Hold My Hand I/II), mental health interventions, infectious disease research, and health systems strengthening. These programs are primarily grant-funded research initiatives rather than commercial products, delivered through partnerships with international universities, government agencies, and organizations like USAID, ERIA, and NIH.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 3,500 persons with disabilities received rehabilitation services
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• U.S. Embassy HanoimajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 August 2021Joint organizer of 2022 YSEALI Regional Workshop on Enhancing Human Capital in Health. Collaboration on youth leadership development in health sector.
• Catholic Relief Services (CRS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 April 2019Co-implementer of Hold My Hand disability rehabilitation project with PHAD. CRS contributes expertise in program management and community development.
• University of Massachusetts Medical SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration on mHealth smoking cessation project (M2Q2) funded by NIH Fogarty International Center. Joint development of text messaging intervention for tobacco control.
• Simon Fraser University (SFU), CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on mental health interventions using Depression Management Skills Workbook from SFU. Joint implementation of MAC-FI project for community-based depression self-management.
• University of Melbourne, AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in mental health research projects, specifically for depression intervention programs in Vietnam.
• Ministry of Health VietnamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner for health policy research and implementation. PHAD provides evidence-based recommendations for policy development.
• World Health Organization (WHO)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical collaboration on global health initiatives and participation in WHO-coordinated health programs in Vietnam.
• UNFPAmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on population and reproductive health programs. Joint initiatives for aging and health research.
• Population CouncilmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership on health systems strengthening and e-health implementation in Thai Nguyen province.
• Boston UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic collaboration on health research projects and data analysis methodologies.
• Columbia University - School of Public HealthmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for public health research and capacity building programs.
• RTI (Research Triangle Institute)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research institute collaboration on health development projects and technical assistance.
• Abt Associates Inc.majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerImplementation partner for health programs and technical assistance projects in Vietnam.
• CARE InternationalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNGO partnership for community health interventions and vulnerable population support programs.
• Save the Children VietnammajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on child health programs and support for orphaned/vulnerable children affected by HIV/AIDS.
• PACT VietnammajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNGO partnership for HIV/AIDS prevention programs and community health initiatives.
• Bach Mai Hospital - Respiratory CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperational partner for smoking cessation quitline services. Manages Bach Mai Quitline integrated with M2Q2 project.
• Hanoi Medical UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for health research and training program development.
• Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and PharmacymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partnership for health research and e-health implementation in Thai Nguyen province.
• Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization under which PHAD operates as a member non-profit scientific and technical organization.
• Nihon University, JapanmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration on aging and health studies in Vietnam. Contributes expertise in geriatric health research.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• CARE International in Vietnam: Global humanitarian non-profit with Vietnam programmes in community health, vulnerable populations and WASH — overlapping donor base and intervention delivery model with PHAD.
• FHI 360: Large international NGO implementing USAID/PEPFAR-funded HIV, TB and health-systems programmes in Vietnam — broader portfolio but overlapping donor base and intervention types.
• RTI International: Large global research institute active in environmental health, infectious disease and implementation science in Vietnam — overlapping research disciplines and USAID funding sources.
• Save the Children International (Vietnam): Global NGO with Vietnam operations covering child health, HIV-affected families and community health interventions; also a documented partner of PHAD, competing for similar donor funds.

Direct peers

• Population Council: Global non-profit with a Hanoi presence conducting health, demographic and ageing research in LMICs — overlap with PHAD on reproductive health, e-health (Thai Nguyen) and population ageing research.
• PATH: Global health non-profit active in Vietnam implementing mHealth, disease surveillance, and maternal/child health programmes — competes with PHAD for similar USAID and Gates-funded awards.
• Center for Creative Initiatives in Health and Population (CIHP): Hanoi-based non-profit working on public health research, HIV/AIDS, harm reduction and vulnerable populations in Vietnam — directly comparable mission, geography, and donor-mix to PHAD.

Others

• Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA): Core funder and research partner behind PHAD's flagship LSAHV study; serves as a comparator for similar policy-research organisations operating across Southeast Asia.

Emerging players

• Institute of Health Economics and Technology (iHEAT): Vietnamese health policy and economics research think tank — comparable in size and orientation toward evidence-based health policy advice.
• Hanoi University of Public Health (HUPH): Vietnam's premier public-health academic institution with overlapping thematic focus (epidemiology, health systems, ageing) and competing research-grant funding pool.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/org_phad
• Facebookfacebook.com/PHAD.ORG
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/phad

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Institute of Population, Health and Development