The Vietnamese Ministry of Health Nov 25 kick-started the Northeast and Red River Delta Regions Health System Support (NORRED) Project using $150 million loan from the World Bank (WB). The project, to be implemented in the 2013-2018 period, aims to benefit 15 million local people, particularly children, women and ethnic minorities, in 13 provinces such as Lang Son, Bac Giang, Thai Nguyen, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Tuyen Quang, Phu Tho, Hung Yen, Hai Duong and Ha Nam. The project will help raise the capacity of local hospitals in a move to ease the severe overload at central-level hospitals. It will also strive to reduce the financial barriers, especially by supporting the expansion of the national health insurance coverage to near-poor people. The domestic health sector has failed to meet the demand because of a lack of qualified workers and poor infrastructure, resulting in an outflow of over $2 billion in overseas healthcare expenses each year. Total investment in healthcare services in Vietnam has remained low, making up merely 7%-8% of the country’s gross domestic products (GDP). (Tien Phong – Pioneer Nov 26 p6, Cong An Nhan Dan’s People’s Police Nov 26 p1)
