The Republic of Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) June 23 inked an agreement to grant Vietnam $800,000 to help build and manage health insurance policies, the Voice of Vietnam Radio said. Under the deal, Vietnam is expected to boost enforcement of law on health insurance and improve the leadership and management capacity of local officials. The move is aimed to help narrow the widening gap between rich and poor and in urban and rural areas, making effective steps in gaining the country’s social welfare and security by 2020. KOICA Chief Representative in Vietnam, Lee Wook Heon, said the joint program will help complete Vietnamese health insurance regulations and tighten the bilateral ties. In 2010, the Southeast Asian country spent up to VND19.32 trillion ($933.33 million) on hospital fees for more than 106 million beneficiaries, up 25% and 16% on year, respectively. As many as 53 million Vietnamese people or 62% of its population have bought health insurance cards so far. The country expects health insurance services will be reached by all local residents by 2014. (vovnews.vn June 23, cpv.org.vn June 23, Cong An Nhan Dan – People’s Police June 24 p15)
