Vietnam PM Approves 2nd Phase of ADB-funded Health Project

The Vietnamese Prime Minister has approved the second phase of a project on infectious disease prevention for Mekong Sub-region countries funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The project’s 2nd phase, totaling $30 million in which ADB contributes $27 million, focuses on reducing the rate of infection and death caused by popular infectious diseases among regional people, including Vietnam, especially for poor children and women, the government said on its website Aug 11. The project is aimed to prevent and control the pandemic possible to seriously affect the region’s economy and health, and to raise the public’s awareness and boost the regional cooperation in preventing infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS control. The U.S. government is also working out a plan to fund $14 million for the project, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said at a conference in Hanoi July 22. As of end-2009, the ADB provided over $8 billion for 87 projects and programs in Vietnam. (baodientu.chinhphu.vn Aug 11, Suc Khoe & Doi Song – Health & Life Aug 12 p2)