The Asian Development Bank on Tuesday approved a loan of US$60 million to develop healthcare services in Vietnam’s remote areas.

The money aims to improve health facilities and services in areas that lack well-trained medical staff and quality facilities, the bank said.

ADB said Vietnam has remarkably improved its healthcare sector over the past few years and was on track to reach relevant Millenium Development Goals.

But there were still differences in healthcare quality and accessibility between regions and between urban and rural areas, the bank said.

Sjoerd Postma, Senior Health Specialist in ADB’s Southeast Asia Department, said “The program will improve health care services for the poor in remote communities by strengthening the capacity of health facilities, training institutions and health workers to serve their special needs.”

The Vietnam Health Human Resources Sector Development Program, which is one of six medical projects in Vietnam sponsored by ADB, will last until late 2015 under the Health Ministry’s management.

The program has also received $11 million from the Australian government.