In a crisis or refugee situation, one in five women of childbearing age is likely to be pregnant. Conflicts and natural disasters put these women and their babies at risk because of the sudden loss of medical support, compounded in many cases by trauma, malnutrition or disease, and exposure to violence. UNFPA seeks to make motherhood as safe as possible during crisis situations by helping those who want to delay or avoid pregnancy and by providing care before, during and after delivery.

(CPV)- Vietnam has around 2 million newborns each year; 3,000 of them are born by HIV-infected mothers, according to statistics from the Vietnam Administration of AIDS Control (VAAC), under the Ministry of Health (MOH).

Deputy Health Minister Tran Chi Liem and UNICEF chief representative Jesper Morch have led a working team to southern coastal Ninh Thuan province to supervise the operation of UN-funded children and reproductive healthcare projects in the province.

The Ministry of Health and United Nations in Vietnam vowed to continue investment in women’s health and ensure continued progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals despite the recent global economic crisis, in an appeal at a press briefing today

In order to heighten knowledge and skills for the Management Board of Happy Family Clubs, the WU of Bac Ninh organized training for 140 Management Board members of Happy Family Clubs in the province

A training course on increasing care, consultancy and support for people with HIV/AIDS and anti-HIV/AIDS activities has just been held by the Thanh Hoa Provincial Women’s Union for 70 volunteers and information providers from districts of Tho Xuan and Ngoc Lac, Bim Son town and Thanh Hoa city and staff from the provincial Women’s Union.

With the help of woman doctor Bui Kim Hai, a Belgian of Vietnamese origin, many programmes focusing on public health in Vietnam have been sponsored by the Belgian government and free check-ups provided by US doctors in Ho Chi Minh City and other localities.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan has asked the Ministry of Health to prepare enough materials, equipment and means of transport to cope with a super flu outbreak.

Ha Noi, 23 April 2009 - Last week the newly formed Health Partnership Group, led by the Ministry of Health of Viet Nam and including UNICEF, WHO, UNFPA and UNAIDS as well as other development partners, held their first meeting and adopted a joint Statement of Intent to guide their work together. The Statement aims to make development assistance for health more efficient and effective, and contribute to the achievement of Viet Nam’s health development goals.

The beauty of Vietnamese girls is legendary. The image of charming girls riding bicycles along streets with long black hair falling over slender shoulders is engraved in many memories.