Vietnam PM Approves Italy-funded Healthcare Projects

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved four healthcare projects using official development assistance (ODA) of Italy, the government said on its website, giving no detail about the projects’ investment. Those projects will focus on raising capacity of training, scientific research, medical checkups and treatment at the Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy while upgrading infrastructure for the healthcare sector in the central province of Quang Tri. They will help improve medical services in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue and boost healthcare capacity for the central province of Quang Nam. In addition, the PM has decided to add a project on removing incandescent bulbs via transforming Vietnam’s illumination market to the list of projects to be funded by the Global Environment Fund (GEF) with a non-refundable aid of over $3 million. The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment will be the project manager who will sign related documents with the GEF and will coordinate with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and relevant agencies to carry out the project. (baodientu.chinhphu.vn Dec 10, vovnews.vn Dec 12)