The World Bank has approved a $106 million loan to a project worth $121 million on improving the quality of Vietnam’s health sector, which is being held back by the lack of skilled healthcare workers and medical facilities at grassroots levels. The credit comes from the International Development Association, the WB’s financing arm for developing countries. The European Union will contribute $10 million to the project while the reciprocal capital of the Vietnamese government is $5 million, the Tuoi Tre newspaper reported on May 9. The project will fund healthcare education and staff training at 31 colleges and universities nationwide, facilitate health management training, and enhance policy-making in health human resources. Under the project, almost 1,300 primary healthcare teams in 15 provinces throughout Vietnam will also be provided with comprehensive training and equipment to better cater to their communities’ healthcare needs. At the end of 2013, Vietnam’s health sector had 42 ongoing ODA projects valued at over $1.5 billion, and 108 other projects funded by NGOs valued at $173 million. The country now faces great challenges in dealing with communicable diseases. (Tuoi Tre – Youth May 9, Sai Gon Giai Phong – Saigon Liberation May 9)
