Latest Foreign Assistance Briefs

- Australia’s Fred Hollows Foundation (FHF) has provided an additional 117,000 USD for Hue eye hospital in central Thua Thien-Hue province to improve community eye care service. Director of Hue eye hospital Pham Minh Tuong said on February 27 that FHF has funded Thua Thien-Hue province’s community eye care since 2006 with a sum now totaling over 1 million USD. In 2013-2015, the foundation will help the hospital with the training of eye doctors and nurses and upgrade of equipment in service of eye check-up and treatment in the districts of Nam Dong, Phong Dien and Phu Loc. During the 2010-2012 period, FHF supported the building of Hue eye hospital in Hue city through the Australian Government’s Initiative to prevent and treat avoidable blindness. (Vietnamplus.vn Feb 28)
- The Japanese Government has pledged to grant over $570,000 to five projects on healthcare, education and environment in Vietnam’s southern and central highlands regions. An agreement to this effect was signed between Japan’s Consulate General, Vietnam Harumitsu Hida and representatives of benefiting localities in HCM City on Feb 26. Of the sum, $245,000 will be spent on purchasing medical equipment for hospitals in Dong Thap and Phu Yen provinces to improve the healthcare service quality for local residents. Under the pact, a drainage system in the southern province of Ben Tre and a water supply system in the central highlands province of Dak Lak will be built at a cost of $117,000 and $90,000, respectively. The funding is also to build eight new classrooms for a primary school in Dak Lak with an expected expenditure of around $120,000. (Vietnamplus.vn Feb 26)