Vietnam - Japan Spinning Textile Garment Company (Vinaja) will send its first shipment of moquito nets to the United Nations (UN) in early May, according to Vinaja chairman Lam Dao Hung.

The Olyset mosquito net is produced by Vinaja's factory in southern Binh Duong province under a cooperation project between Vinaja and the Japanese Sumitomo Chemical Company.

"After a long period of study, we selected Vinaja as our partner to make six million nets each year for the UN," said Yonekura Hiromasa, president of Sumitomo Chemical.

The UN will donate the nets to tropical African countries in its Roll Back Malaria campaign, he said.

About 1 million people die each year from malaria and children under five years of age in Africa make up a great proportion of the death toll.

Vinaja has invested VND100 billion (US$6.3 million) in building the factory, with Sumitomo Chemical providing technical assistance as well as outlets for products.

The company has used the special technology of Sumitomo Chemical to produce nets, which not only repel mosquitos but also kill any that come into contact with the net.

Vinaja chairman Lam Dao Hung said the factory has 1,200 workers interested in selling nets in Vietnam.