Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has met with the World Health Organization (WHO)’s Regional Director for the Western Pacific in Hanoi on March 11 to seek more assistance in the healthcare sector. At the meeting with Mr. Shin Young-soo, the prime minister talked about further cooperation with the WHO in policy consultation, personnel training and management. Mr. Shin noted that Vietnam should step up efforts to raise the average life expectancy and expand health insurance coverage to successfully fulfill Millennium Development Goals. The WHO will help Vietnam improve medical services and awareness campaigns on preventing epidemics and medical insurance. Medical services remain poor in public hospitals in Vietnam due to overload, bureaucracy and corruption. Meanwhile, private healthcare is too costly for the average income earners. (Tin Tuc – News March 12 p3, Nhan Dan – The People March 12 p3, Vietnam News March 12)
