PM hopes to boost medical cooperation with US

Hanoi, Apr 16, 2008 (Asia Pulse Data Source via COMTEX) -- -- ? Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said he hoped medical cooperation between Vietnam and the US would be boosted to contribute to the friendship between the two countries.

During a reception for US Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael O. Leavitt in Hanoi on April 16, PM Dung said the Vietnamese Government and people always placed great importance on mutually-beneficial commercial partnerships with the US .

The PM thanked the US Government and its Health and Human Services Department for their effective assistance in the country?s HIV/AIDS control program and said he hoped the US would continue helping Vietnam in this area.

PM Dung also asked the US Government to continue providing medicine and medical equipment to help treat Vietnamese Agent Orange victims.

He said he was particularly pleased about the results of a working session between the Health Ministry of Vietnam and the US Department of Health and Human Services and hailed a draft memorandum of understanding (MOU) on food hygiene and safety, describing it as significant agreement to boost trade between the two countries.

PM Dung also asked the two medical sectors to set up a working group to negotiate and sign the MOU.

Secretary Michael O. Leavitt said he was pleased about the fine development of relations between the two sides, especially in trade.

Leavitt said Vietnam was an important trade partner of the US , that was becoming more apparent in the number of Vietnamese goods arriving in the US , highlighting the necessity for food hygiene and safety.

He briefed the Vietnamese leader about the working session between the two health ministries, focusing on cooperation and experiences in bird flu and HIV/AIDS control as well as food hygiene and safety.

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