Irish Minister of State Charlie McConalogue T.D. and Professor Trần Văn Thuấn, Vietnamese deputy minister of health visit a newborn receiving Kangaroo Mother Care at Đức Giang General Hospital on Wednesday. — Photo Alive & Thrive.

HÀ NỘI — The Government of Ireland on Wednesday launched a grant of 900,000 euros to expand a programme improving infant and young child nutrition in Việt Nam, Cambodia and Laos in partnership with Alive & Thrive.

The project focuses on regional collaboration, utilising Việt Nam’s successful "Centre of Excellence for Breastfeeding" model to mentor health officials in neighbouring countries.

During a visit at Đức Giang General Hospital in Hà Nội on Wednesday afternoon, Irish Minister of State Charlie McConalogue T.D. announced the new commitment, saying that Ireland’s support for this programme is rooted in a simple but powerful belief: nutrition is the foundation of opportunity.

“When we invest in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, we are investing in the economic and social future of the nation. This new funding will take the success stories we have seen here in Việt Nam and share them with our partners in Cambodia and Laos,” he said.

The "Centre of Excellence for Breastfeeding" programme has been designed to increase access to and utilisation of essential nutrition interventions and services for vulnerable groups in order to improve nutrition outcomes for women and children across Việt Nam, Cambodia and Laos.

The programme works at the local level through 140 hospitals and health centres across the three countries as well as working with the ministries of health on national level standards and policies.

Since 2017, Ireland’s total contribution to the project has reached 7.8 million euros in partnership with Alive and Thrive under FHI 360 and the ministries of health in Việt Nam, Cambodia and Laos. — VNS