Vietnam Extends Operational Time for U.S. NGO

Vietnam has extended the operational time for Atlantic Philanthropies (AP), the U.S. non-governmental organization to operate in the country. Chairman of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO), Permanent member of the Committee for Foreign Non-Government Organizations Affairs, Vu Xuan Hong April 22 handed over the three-year extended permit to set up a representative office to the organization. Starting operations in Vietnam in 2003, the AP has actively helped Vietnam build infrastructure and provide the local public health network, hospital system and some universities with equipment and facilities, with the aim to improve healthcare quality for local people and contributed to raising professional capacity for medical workers. The organization also assisted in researching Agent Orange/dioxin issues in the country. Earlier, the U.S. organization pledged to fund $7 million to help improve infrastructure for medical clinics under the provincial primary healthcare system in the southern province of Ca Mau from now up to 2013.  By continuously maintaining a high aid level for Vietnam over the past times, AP has become the foreign NGO giving the greatest aid for Vietnam, with more than $30 million per year. (www.vietnamplus.vn April 22)