Resident representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)’s Vietnam Office Fumio Kikuchi and vice chairman of the Nghe An Provincial People’s Committee Hoang Ky have reached an agreement on a project to inform communities about reproductive health issues.

The three-year project aims to disseminate central Nghe An province’s experience in reproductive health to four neighbouring provinces, namely Ha Nam, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa and Ha Tinh.

JICA first began to implement a reproductive health project in Nghe An since June 1997. The first phase of this project lasting until May 2000, was carried out in eight districts in the province with a focus on safe and hygienic deliveries at the communal level by improving prenatal care, midwifery skill and knowledge, and the upgrading of facilities and equipment.

The second phase of the project, which was implemented from September 2000 to August 2005, attached importance to the quality of reproductive healthcare services such as post natal care, prevention of reproductive tract infections, reduction of abortion, and the promotion of a health management information system.