The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will lend $49 million to a project on infectious disease control in three Indochina countries of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia from now to 2016. Of the sum, Vietnam will receive as many as $27 million, Laos will get $12 million and Cambodia $10 million, Vincent de Wit from ADB's Southeast Asia Department said. The project will focus on expanding surveillance and response system to help control dengue fever outbreaks and preventing the spread of infectious diseases as well as boosting medical services for epidemic control in borders districts of these three countries. The project is aimed to benefit nearly 1.7 million people living in 116 border districts, of which one-third are ethnic minority groups, Vincent de Wit attributed. Vincent de Wit added that disease prevention requires better public participation and intensive cooperation among regional nations. Health Ministries of each country were assigned to implement the project. The bank will finance $60 million to a health human resources development program in Vietnam’s rural and remote areas by 2015. As of end-2009, the ADB provided over $8 billion for 87 projects and programs in Vietnam, including $3.15 billion disbursed, making the Southeast Asian country become its third largest aid recipient behind Bangladesh and Pakistan. (vietnamplus.vn Nov 24, info.vn Nov 23)
