Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Tien said that Vietnam highly appreciated the EU’s role and support to Vietnam in strengthening capacity of medical service providers, as well as in building, promulgating and implementing policies and plans for healthcare development at the national and local levels.
Over the last 20 years, the EU has been an important partner of the Ministry of Health with increasingly strengthened partnership through implementation of activities with the common goal of building a fair, efficient and improved health system, the minister stressed, adding that support from the EU and its member states have contributed significantly to improving the quality and access to health services to help improve the health of Vietnamese people.
EU-funded healthcare projects for Vietnam have seen positive effects, including the health system development programme (HSDP), the health care support to the poor of the northern uplands and Central Highlands project (HEMA), and the health sector capacity building project. During the 2010-2014 period, Vietnam deployed the EU-supported health sector policy support programme (HSPSP) during its first phase worth EUR39.5 million. Currently, the EU has decided to continue funding for the second phase of HSPSP from 2015-2019 with the non-refundable aid of EUR114 million.
Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien hails the support the EU has provided to Vietnam’s programmes and projects on health care improvement.
For his part, EU Commissioner Mimica affirmed that Vietnam is one of the EU’s most successful examples in providing support for improvement of the quality of health services and people’s health around the world. During the 1995-2015 period, the EU has worked with Vietnam to implement the Millennium Development Goals, especially in strengthening health guarantees for the poor and reducing the infant mortality rate and malaria infections.
He stressed that the EU is focused on strengthening co-operative relations with Vietnam through the implementation of the EU-Vietnam Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Partnership and Co-operation, and the upcoming EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement. This will open up space and new opportunities for EU-Vietnam co-operation in all aspects, including the medical field.
The EU commissioner also voiced the EU’s commitment in supporting Vietnam in achieving sustainable development goals in the health sector under the United Nations standards, contributing to Vietnam’s socio-economic development and improving people's quality of life.
On the occasion, the EU official signed through an aid package worth EUR8.4 million for the Health Professional Education and Training Project (HPET) through a trust fund managed by the World Bank. The project is being operated in 15 provinces and cities, 18 universities and colleges, and 63 disadvantaged districts across Vietnam until 2020.
A book on the theme of 20 years of Vietnam-EU co-operation for improved health care also made its debut, reviewing activities implemented and results achieved in improving health care in Vietnam between 1995 and 2015 with support from the EU and its member states.
