The Government of Japan,under its Grant Assistance for Grass-roots Human Security Projects(GGP) Scheme,granted US$103,782for a humanitarian programentitled “The Project for Construction of Yay Dwin Gone Rural Health Center in BagoRegion”.

Mr. Ichiro MARUYAMA, Chargé ď Affaires ad interim of the Embassy of Japan, and U Myint Sein, Chairman of Yay Dwin Gone Village Health Committee, signed the grant contract on October 31, 2012.

Yay Dwin Gone Village, which is about 93 miles away from Yangon, situated on the west bank of Sittoung River in Nyaunglebin Township. Sub Rural Health Center (SHC) of Yay Dwin Gone Village, which is 5 miles east of Peinzaloke Station Hospital on Yangon Mandalay road,was establishedin 2000 to improve health care services in5neighboringvillages.In 2010,the Ministry of Health upgraded this SHC as the Rural Health Center(RHC) forimproving health care services in 7 village tracts and 23 villages in Nyaunglebin Township. Total beneficiaries of this RHC increased up to13,398 people from 2,467households.

Although Yay Dwin Gone SHC has been upgraded as the RHC in 2010, there is no suitable building in the village yet and local residents and the Village Health Committee are facing shortage of fund to construct a new RHC building which is in line with the guideline and standard of the Ministry of Health.

In order to help providing better health services for local residents of Yay Dwin Gone Village and its surrounding villages with proper facilities, the construction of a new RHCbuilding with a floor area of 2,480 square feet was funded by the Government of Japan through its GGP Scheme. It is expected that this assistance will further strengthen existing friendly relation between Japan and Myanmar.