Non-governmental Organizations Gather in HCM City

The Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organizations (HUFO) held a gathering for international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) on May 7. Vice President applauds foreign NGOs’ contributions International NGOs donation in 2014 reached $300 million Chairman of the union Le Hung Quoc recognized the significant contributions made by the INGOs and individuals to the city’s socio-economic development, including poverty alleviation. He thanked INGOs, diplomatic agencies and business associations for supporting the local underprivileged both materially and spiritually. In 2014, the city received $40 million in aid from INGOs, including cancer medicine treatment funded by the Switzerland Novartis Pharma AG group for the municipal Cancer Hospital and Blood Transfusion Hospital. More than 150 INGOs are operating in Ho Chi Minh City, mainly from the U.S., Europe and the Asia-Pacific. (vov.vn May 8)