The Health Environment Management Agency under the Ministry of Healthand Unilever Vietnam's Vim brand have agreed to join hands to improvesanitation conditions for 10 million Vietnamese people, especially inrural areas.
At a total cost of 60 billion VND (2.86million USD), the initiative aims to improve sanitation awareness andgive millions access to clean toilets, according to a five-yearstrategic cooperation framework (2014-2018) signed on November 23.
Nguyen Huy Nga, head of the agency, said the programme has threepoints of focus: coordinating with the Ho Chi Minh City PasteurInstitute for disease prevention activities; cooperating with Unileverto improve sanitation in rural areas; and working with the Ministry ofEducation and Training for improved sanitation in schools.
Specific action plans include building 800 standard toilets in 80schools at a cost of 16 billion VND (762,000 USD), which would helpapproximately 800,000 elementary school pupils have germ-free and safetoilets to use.
Besides, 10 billion VND (476,190USD) will be spent on special talks on individual and environmenthygiene given at 1,000 elementary schools nationwide, helping raiseawareness among pupils and their parents about necessity of maintainingproper hygiene at school and home.
Major agenciesthat will participate in the programme include UNICEF, American StandardCo, several other NGOs and the Department of Preventive Health.
The programme, which falls under Unilever's global Sustainable LivingPlan, will also be part of efforts to meet the national goals of cleanwater supply and improved sanitation.
According toUNICEF, in Vietnam, over 45 percent of families in the countrysideeither defecate in the open or use unhygienic toilets. Poor sanitationis responsible for frequent incidences of diarrhoea and pneumonia whichcauses the death of many children under five.
Poor sanitation is also a major cause of stunted growth among children in Vietnam, the organisation says.-VNA
At a total cost of 60 billion VND (2.86million USD), the initiative aims to improve sanitation awareness andgive millions access to clean toilets, according to a five-yearstrategic cooperation framework (2014-2018) signed on November 23.
Nguyen Huy Nga, head of the agency, said the programme has threepoints of focus: coordinating with the Ho Chi Minh City PasteurInstitute for disease prevention activities; cooperating with Unileverto improve sanitation in rural areas; and working with the Ministry ofEducation and Training for improved sanitation in schools.
Specific action plans include building 800 standard toilets in 80schools at a cost of 16 billion VND (762,000 USD), which would helpapproximately 800,000 elementary school pupils have germ-free and safetoilets to use.
Besides, 10 billion VND (476,190USD) will be spent on special talks on individual and environmenthygiene given at 1,000 elementary schools nationwide, helping raiseawareness among pupils and their parents about necessity of maintainingproper hygiene at school and home.
Major agenciesthat will participate in the programme include UNICEF, American StandardCo, several other NGOs and the Department of Preventive Health.
The programme, which falls under Unilever's global Sustainable LivingPlan, will also be part of efforts to meet the national goals of cleanwater supply and improved sanitation.
According toUNICEF, in Vietnam, over 45 percent of families in the countrysideeither defecate in the open or use unhygienic toilets. Poor sanitationis responsible for frequent incidences of diarrhoea and pneumonia whichcauses the death of many children under five.
Poor sanitation is also a major cause of stunted growth among children in Vietnam, the organisation says.-VNA
