Back in 1978 the World Health Organization (WHO) presented as an international target for the year 2000 "first care health", so that all citizens of the world could have access to medical health. In order to reach this target WHO has chosen health education as its most important task. Only when basic health education programs are implemented, can medical technology expand. The realization of health education helps everybody to take care of one's health and thus, at the same time, people can take care of their family members and the community at large. This way, societies develop strong and social services expand.

Vietnam has taken great interest in the field of health education and the province of Cao Bang has introduced such programs for health education since several years ago. Doctors have the responsibility of helping people to obtain basic medical knowledge, particularly in the field of preventive medicine. When this is done information will flow from both sides and then people will be able to collaborate with doctors.

Cao Bang is a mountainous province with a complex topography. Since the livelihood of the people still confronts many hardships, health services, including health education, encounter many limitations.

Vietnam is a developing country where children make up a high proportion of the population. As a result, it is quite necessary to provide medical knowledge to mothers, grandparents and other family members, so that children could get proper medical care.

Since 1991, thanks to the help of Japa Vietnam, the pediatrics section of Cao Bang Province General Hospital has organized many courses for medical persons and ordinary health workers at the province and district levels on the methodology of health care and health education. It is expected that the skills obtained will bring forth many results for the target of health education.

The death rate of children in Vietnam has greatly been reduced thanks to government efforts and international support. This is also true of Cao Bang where Japa Vietnam has been actively supporting the department of pediatrics of the general hospital. Japa Vietnam, in addition to help to finance the costs of the health education services, has also supported the training programs on pediatrics. Moreover, the hospital has received in the past financial help to construct an emergency patient's room to accept sick children with serious diseases.

During a period of approximately 10 years the relationship between Cao Bang and Japa Vietnam has strengthened especially through the collaboration with the Pediatrics department of the General Hospital. The kindness of our Japanese friends towards the children of the ethnic minorities of Cao Bang, shown by their assistance to our programs, has solidified a relationship of friendship between Vietnam and Japan.

We are sure that this relationship will continue. We also hope that the children of Cao Bang will receive more affection and the assistance needed in the years to come.