EU gives Vietnam €8.3 million to train healthcare professionals

November 17, 2015 | 16:00

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The European Union (EU) on November 16 announced its provision of €8.3 million ($8.9 million) to help Vietnam train health professionals.

Accordingly, the EU is going to contribute €8.3 million ($8.9 million) to the World Bank-administered Trust Fund to support the Health Professional Education and Training Project, which aims to improve healthcare in Vietnam. The contribution is part of the $130 million second phase of the EU-funded Health Sector Policy Support Programme kickstarted in September.

The announcement was made at the ceremony to celebrate 20 years of Vietnam-EU cooperation for improved healthcare.

“The EU, including EU Delegation to Vietnam and EU Member States, was delighted to contribute to the attainment of the health Millennium Development Goals in Vietnam,” said EU Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica at the ceremony.

The commissioner also highlighted the fact that the EU would broaden the scope and magnitude of cooperation with Vietnam through the adoption of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement and the completion of negotiation on the bilateral EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement.

“During the past 20 years the EU has always been an important partner of the Ministry of Health,” said Vietnamese Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien. “Support from the European Union and its member states has contributed significantly to increasing both the quality and availability of healthcare and through that to the improved health of our people.”

The ceremony also included the launch of a publication named “20 Years of Vietnam-EU Cooperation to Improve Healthcare” which describes the activities implemented and results achieved in improving healthcare in Vietnam between 1995 and 2015 with support from the European Union and its member states.

By By Khanh Tran

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