Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Ha Noi, April 23 (VNA) -- Viet Nam's medical cooperation with international humanitarian organizations has brought in effective results in providing rehabilitation services for children with hare lips and cleft palates and cataract sufferers.

Prominent among the international organisations are the "Operation Smile" of Australia, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, the Republic of Korea and the U.S. which have conducted free-of-charge surgery on 20,000 children with hare lips and cleft palates since 1995.

Australia's Fred Hollow Foundation has provided medical equipment to Viet Nam, helped the country train medical workers and performed free-of-charge operations on thousands of cataract patients.

The Sight First of Thailand helped move cataract from 6,000 poor patients in 12 provinces from 1998 to 2000.

Meanwhile, Thailand's Rajavithi hospital helped to conduct ear surgery on 590 patients and provided free medicine for 7,000 patients in Hue former imperial city and northern Hoa Binh and central highland Dac Lac provinces.

According to World Health Organisation's estimates, the rate of deformed children in Viet Nam stands high due to the effect of the Agent Orange left over from the war.

Also through international medical cooperation, the country has received modern equipment and advanced technology in treatment and rehabilitation for deformities.--VNA