Institute of Asian Culture and Development (IACD) has provided addition grant aid to further improve a mobile medical service project in Borikhan, Khamkeuth and Viengthong districts, Borikhamxay province after completing the first phase.
Under the first phase IACD has already provided more than US$796,000 (over 6.5 billion kip) with around 25,000 rural people from 55 villages in the target areas having benefited.
The new assistance costing more than US$793,600 (over 6.4 billion kip), will allow poor rural people to have access to better mobile health services.
A grant agreement was signed on Wednesday morning in Borikhamxay province by IACD Country Director Dr Hosik Im and the provincial Health Department Director Dr Sonexay Panyanouvong in the presence of local authorities.
Through the new five-year project, more than 50,000 local people will benefit from the scheme.
Out of the grant aid, some will be used to buy medicine and medical equipment for provincial and district hospitals along with some dispensaries in the target areas of the project.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Dr Im stated some funding would be used to hold training courses on mobile health service issues, pay for patients’ transportation along with scholarships for people from poor backgrounds so they would have better education opportunities in the near future.
“The signing will be a good opportunity for the agency to help local people in Laos, especially in Borikhamxay province to have access to a better health environment,” Dr Im said.
“The agency is very happy to be part of helping the country to the reach its goals and to work with the department. The efforts and support from the Lao people and their government have made it possible to implement a better quality health project,” he said.
Dr Sonexay said he strongly believed that people in the target areas would have better opportunities to receive improved treatment from local doctors and nurses through the project, saying “This assistance was vital to the development of the health system in Laos.”
IACD, as a non-profit organisation, continues to assist long-term education projects, rural development and mobile healthcare services in many countries since being registered with Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In Laos alone, over the years the agency has provided funds to improve mobile healthcare services for people in LuangPrabang and Vientiane provinces, especially those in rural areas.
The agency also recently provided US$938,238 to improve education and cultural exchange. This funding was supported by Korea’s Ministry of Education and is assisting schools in Vientiane along with Pakkading and Borikhan districts of Borikhamxay province.
Source: Vientiane Times
