The Government of Japan,under its Grant Assistance for Grass-roots Human Security Projects(GGP) Scheme,granted US$102,597for a humanitarian programentitled “The Project for Construction of Sub Rural Health Centers in Hpa-an Township, Kayin State”.

Mr. Ichiro MARUYAMA,Chargé ď Affaires ad interim of the Embassy of Japan, and U Saw Aung Win, Chairperson of NaungPalein, KawtThanKhar and KamawKazinVillage Sub Rural Health Centers Planning Committee, signed the grant contract on October 31, 2012.

NaungPalein, Kawt Than Khar and KamawKazin Villages are Kayinvillages in Hpa-an Township which are located at 24 Km, 24 Km and 10 km away from Hpa-an respectively.Although Sub Rural Health Center (SHC) at NaungPalein Village was established in 1987, there is no appropriate building yet until these days. KawtThanKhar and KamawKazin Villages are two new villages in the same township where SHCs were granted by the Ministry of Health in 2010. All of these three SHCsare giving health care services to the local residents without having proper building and facilities.

Local residents and the Village Health Committees are facing shortage of fund to construct a new SRHC building which is in line with the guideline and standard of the Ministry of Health. Moreover, each SHC is lack in medical equipment of basic needs to give good health services to the patients.

In order to help provide better health services to the local residents of eachvillage and its surrounding villages with proper facilities, the construction of a new SRHCbuilding with a floor area of 900square feet at each village and providing basic medical equipment to each SHC was funded by the Government of Japan through its GGP Scheme.

It is expected that this assistance will highlight the kind support of the Japanese Government and its people to the welfare of local Kayin and Myanmar people and will further strengthen existing friendly relation between Japan and Myanmar.