Health experts from around the world have praised Vietnam for itsefforts and achievements in maternal and child health care at a globalforum held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from June 30 to July 1.

The medical sector has managed to reduce the rate of maternalfatalities to nearly 62 last year from 233 out of 100,000 lives in 1990.The figures for under-five child fatalities were 23 from 59 out of 1,000lives, respectively.

The proportion of malnourished children under five was cut down to 15.3 percent from 41 percent.

Meanwhile, as many as 289,000 women still die every year fromcomplications at birth and 6.6 million children cannot live to see theirfifth birthday, including nearly 3 million newborns.

Global leaders showed their special interest in Vietnam’s experience inproviding health services to the population and mobilising the people tojoin the work.

They also expressed their wish to work withVietnam in fulfilling the United Nations Millennium Development Goals(MDGs).

Health minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien delivered aspeech at a special meeting of the forum, describing multi-sectoralcooperation as one of the key factors to successfully carry out maternaland child healthcare activities.

She said that the progressmade over the past two decades was thanks to the Party and Government’sstrategy for developing the health sector, especially in taking care ofmothers and children.

On the sidelines of the forum, theminister also worked with her counterpart from the host and Africanhealth officials to seek trilateral coordination in the field as part ofthe South-South cooperation between Vietnam and other regionalcountries.-VNA