The European Union (EU) has agreed to grant more than EUR114 million to help improve the quality of Vietnam’s health sector by 2017, said Delphine Malard, a senior official of the EU Delegation to Vietnam. Ms. Malard made the statement at the second national forum on hospital quality management in Hanoi on Dec 18, saying that the donation affirmed the EU’s long-term commitment to helping better the Vietnamese medical services. The funding is expected to be used to build satellite hospitals in provinces and upgrade health facilities in rural and remote areas as well as enhance manpower training in order to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals. In recent years, the EU has assisted the country in modernizing medical services in a bid to helping patients, especially the poor, have easier access to better healthcare services amid the rising demand. Total investment in Vietnam’s healthcare services remains low, accounting for only 7%-8% of its gross domestic products (GDP). The incompetence of the domestic health sector has resulted in an outflow of over $2 billion in overseas medical treatments annually. (http://phapluattp.vn [1] Dec 18, http://vtc.vn [2] Dec 18, vov.vn Dec 18)
