The United Nations Tuesday signed an agreement with Vietnam to provide US$16.1 million to implement the second phase of a joint program on prevention and control of bird flu in the Southeast Asian nation.

Vietnam’s non-governmental organisations (VNGO) group has made significant contributions to implementing the millennium development goals (MDGs), including hunger and poverty reduction, gender equality, sustainable environment, education, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS control.

The infertility department of the Tu Du Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City has reported success in impregnating a woman with the In Vitro Maturation of oocytes (IVM) procedure.

The National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) will begin, on Oct. 16, a week-long appeal to inform families about nutrition, in the hopes of further reducing malnutrition.

Researchers, activists and major funders have agreed to a shift in the fight against AIDS to focus on prevention and especially helping women protect themselves.

An additional 2.3 million people in the Red river delta will gain access to clean water thanks to a World Bank project launched in Ha Noi on Aug. 10.

Da Nang authorities have approved a 181,000 USD project to improve the health care of mothers and newborn babies, especially those living in remote and isolated areas.

A project to strengthen the management ability of productive health for the community was signed by the Chief of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Viet Nam, Mr Fumio Kikuchi, and the Vice Chairman of Nghe An Provincial People’s Committee Hoang Ky.

Their husbands all infected them with the deadly virus, but they haven’t given up. Life has shown them a new direction: taking care of other HIV/AIDS patients.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has agreed to donate Vietnam contraceptive devices and drugs worth US$1.1 million in the 2006-07 period.