The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved a 106-million USD credit package to help Vietnam’s health sector improve its management competence and training programmes.

The credit for the Health Professional Education and Training for Health System Reforms Project is hoped to better the capability of primary healthcare teams at grassroots level and help newly-graduated doctors, nurses and other health practitioners improve the skills relevant to the current health needs of the population.

The project is also expected to provide almost 1,300 primary healthcare teams in 15 provinces across the country with comprehensive training and equipment to better address the healthcare needs of their communities.

It will also strengthen health management training and improve the policy-making of the sector’s human resources.

The credit comes from the International Development Association, the financing arm for low-income countries under the World Bank. The EU will also contribute 10 million USD, while the Vietnamese Government will finance 5 million USD for a project totally worth 121 million USD.

Focusing on improving the clinical and management competencies of health professionals, including managers currently working in the local health system, the project will contribute to implementing the National Health Strategy between 2011 and 2020.-VNA