The Japanese Government on September 8 donated US$ 81,500 to the main hospital of the northern mountainous province of Tuyen Quang to buy medical equipment for cataract surgery.

The donation was part of a non-refundable aid programme of the Japanese Government to Vietnamese localities, which has been carried out through the Japanese Embassy in Hanoi

Japanese Ambassador Mitsuo Sakaba expressed his hope that the medical equipment would help more eye patients in Tuyen Quang to get surgery as well as contribute to boosting mutual understanding and friendship between the two countries.

Tuyen Quang province has an estimated 2,000 people suffering from cataract, one of the main reasons causing blindness.

Japan has been a leading investor and ODA donor to Vietnam. The Japanese Government attaches importance to small-scale ODA projects in rural areas of Vietnam and plans to fund 25-30 such projects every year with average investment of VND 1.5 billion to each project. (VNA)