Japan gives $1.79m to myanmar
Submitted by: anonymous , Created at : 2008-01-21 20:40:16 UTC [Write Comment]By Kyaw Hsu Mon
THE government of Japan pledged US$1.79 million to UNICEF Myanmar last week to support an eight-phase project aimed at improving maternal and child healthcare services.
The agreement for the grant was signed on January 14 at Sedona Hotel in Yangon between Mr Yasuaki Nogawa, the Japanese ambassador to Myanmar, and Mr Ramesh Shrestha, UNICEF's country representative.
Mr Shrestha said at the signing ceremony that the money will be used to support collective effort to protect Myanmar's children against vaccine- preventable diseases, malaria and other fatal ailments, and to save their mothers from pregnancy-related deaths.
"UNICEF will ensure that this assistance will target those most in need," he said, adding that most of the aid will target rural areas.
The funding will be used to purchase rapid test kits and medicine for malaria, vaccines for measles and tetanus, and essential medicines and equipment for reproductive health, according to an announcement from the Japanese embassy.
Japan has provided assistance for seven consecutive phases of the same project amounting to US$31.9 million from 1999 to 2006.
Myanmar Times, January 21, 2008.