Hanoi (VNA) – The World Bank (WB) in Vietnam on July 9 announced a healthcare project for poor and ethnic minorities in Vietnam’s northern mountainous areas and central highlands with an 11.45 million EUR grant from the European Commission (EC).

The project aims to improve the health status of the poor and ethnic minorities by supporting delivery of priority health care packages, such as maternal health care, community-based malnutrition prevention and treatment, integrated management of childhood illnesses, child immunisation and reproductive health.

The project entitled “Healthcare support to the poor in northern uplands and central highlands” also aims to support district health departments to better plan for the delivery of health care services.

It will be implemented in the provinces of Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Son La, Kon Tum and Gia Lai, and expect to benefit some 3 million people, mostly ethnic minority and poor people.

This project, which has a 1.4 million EUR counterpart funding from the Vietnamese government, is part of a broader programme of support between the EC and the government of Vietnam.

An agreement to this effect was signed in Hanoi on July 9 between the World Bank and the State Bank of Vietnam.