The medical equipment, donated by VinaCapital Foundation and Hoiana integrated resort project, included ventilators, heating beds, electrocardiogram machines, infant phototherapy machines to treat newborn babies with icterus neonatorum and monitors worth more than VND1 billion (US$43,000).

This equipment will be used at the two medical centres to improve treatment for local residents and at least 35 newborns each day.

CEO and Executive Director of VinaCapital Foundation Rad Kivette said they are committed to supporting heathcare and education projects in the province.

Steve Wolstenhome, Group Chief Operating Officer at Hoiana, said the donation aims to improve living standards for communities and communes facing difficulties.

Vice Director of the provincial Health Department Nguyen Van Van said the agency has been in close co-operation with VinaCapital Foundation in seeking funds for medical equipment for underprivileged, grassroots health centres.

He said this equipment would help save hundreds of premature babies due to a lack of medical facilities and intensive newborn care in the province.

He said the mortality rate of under five-year old children in Viet Nam was 21.38 for every 1,000 births, while two-thirds of fatalities were from ethnic minority groups in poor areas.

VinaCapital Foundation, a non-profit organisation founded in 2006, has funded 7,000 life-saving heart operations for disadvantaged children with congenital heart defects in Viet Nam after 12 years of operation, while offering free heart screenings and operations for nearly 1,000 children diagnosed with congenital heart defects per year.

VinaCapital Foundation’s critical response programme, which started in 2009, focuses on improving paediatric care and reducing mortality among children aged under five. — VNS