A health partnership meeting on the harmonisation of development partners and international non-governmental organisations (INGO) support for 2016-2020 opened in Hanoi on June 28.

Organised by the Ministry of Health, the meeting discussed measures to harmonise assistance. It also introduced an online database on support of development partners and INGOs for Vietnam’s health sector.

At the meeting. Source: suckhoedoisong.vn

Head of the ministry’s International Cooperation Department Tran Thi Giang Huong highlighted the role and contributions of development partners and INGOs to the country’s healthcare, saying their support has contributed to strengthening financial and technical resources for localities in particular and the health sector at large in order to implement the national health targets.

According to data from the People’s Aid Coordinating Committee in 2015 the number of INGO projects in the sector were 400 with a total committed budget of 938 million USD, mainly in basic healthcare, clean water and hygiene, maternal and child healthcare.

Such support has showed substantial outcomes in improving the health indicators for people, such as average life expectancy, maternal and child fatality rates, as well as child malnutrition, especially in far-flung and impoverished areas.

The ministry and development partners have also committed to continuing to maintain gained achievements and implement the unaccomplished contents of the United Nations’ millennium development goals in the most effective way.

Source: VNA