Many of Japan's non-refundable aid projects are prioritized for the health sector.

On May 15, the Ministry of Health coordinated with the Embassy of Japan in Vietnam and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to organize the "Forum on 40 Years of Vietnam-Japan Cooperation in the Health Sector" to review the results of cooperation between the two countries in the health sector and discuss the priorities of the health sector as well as future cooperation directions.

Speaking at the forum, Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien affirmed: Over the past 40 years, the cooperative relationship between Vietnam and Japan has continuously expanded and developed. Japan is currently one of the largest bilateral ODA donors for Vietnam in general and the health sector in particular. Through JICA, the Japanese Government has supported the Vietnamese health sector with many non-refundable aid projects, technical cooperation and preferential loans. The cooperation projects with Japan have all been implemented very effectively, comprehensively and sustainably, bringing positive contributions to people's health care; strengthening hospital infrastructure and capacity for diagnosis, treatment, patient care and hospital management.

Through this forum, the Vietnamese Ministry of Health would like to thank the Government and people of Japan and the Japanese representative agencies in Vietnam for their active support to the Vietnamese health sector in recent times. The Minister suggested that the Japanese Government continue to consider health as a priority area in its ODA policy and that Japanese investors continue to pay attention to the health sector, including the construction of hospitals, factories producing quality medical equipment and pharmaceuticals in Vietnam.

Cooperation in the health sector between the two countries was initiated by the Japanese Government's grant aid project to build Cho Ray Hospital. After Japan's official development assistance (ODA) was resumed to Vietnam in 1992, health has always been a high priority area in bilateral cooperation. A series of large-scale grant aid projects providing emergency equipment to hospitals in Hanoi, and providing vaccines and equipment for the Expanded Immunization Program were implemented during the years 1993-2008.

Key hospitals in the three regions (Bach Mai, Hue Central, Cho Ray) have also received non-refundable aid to upgrade facilities and modernize medical equipment. In addition, JICA has also paid special attention to training medical human resources for hospitals through many technical cooperation projects; many experienced Japanese experts have been sent to help transfer technology in clinical and hospital management fields. Since 2006, JICA has begun providing ODA concessional loans to regional and provincial hospitals to purchase equipment and train staff.

In the field of infectious disease prevention, through JICA, the Japanese government has helped Vietnam build the most modern measles vaccine factory in Southeast Asia (in 2006) and successfully transferred measles vaccine production technology to Vietnam (in 2009). Currently, about 2.5 million doses of measles vaccine are provided annually for the Expanded Immunization Program. From the end of May 2013, the project to transfer measles-rubella vaccine production technology will continue to be implemented and by 2018, the measles-rubella combination vaccine will be introduced to the market.

In addition, JICA is also cooperating with the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology to implement the technical cooperation project "Strengthening the capacity of the network of laboratories on biosafety and skills in testing dangerous pathogens"; supporting people with disabilities through the project "Strengthening rehabilitation services" in the southern provinces and helping to improve maternal and child health through the project "Disseminating maternal and child health records" in 4 key provinces: Dien Bien, Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa and An Giang.

Mr. Tsuno Motonori, Chief Representative of JICA in Vietnam, said: Japan's support for Vietnam is assessed by both sides as very comprehensive in both hardware and software aspects, especially in human resource training for the hospital system nationwide. JICA hopes to continue to maintain and promote the results of cooperation, contributing to helping Vietnam improve the quality of medical services. Investing in health care is investing in the future.

On this occasion, the Vietnamese Ministry of Health awarded the "Medal for People's Health" to Mr. Tsuno Motonori, Chief Representative of JICA in Vietnam./.

According to (CPV) - LH