100% of preschool children and primary school students are to drink milk by 2020

On September 28^th, Vietnam Television in collaboration with Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and Training, and TH Group held a live TV broadcast “School Milk Programme” in three broadcasting locations of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh city and Nghe An.

This is the first time School Milk Programme has been launched at national scale

Speaking at the event, Mr. Nguyen Thien Nhan, Politburo member, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front said “School Milk Programme is a very meaningful programme as millions of students entering into new school year 2016-2017”.

According to statistics from Ministry of Health, as many as 24,7% of Vietnamese children suffer from malnutrition, meaning that one in every four children is malnourished, most of whom live in remote areas, needy and poor families. Vietnamese men are averagely 13cm lower than men worldwide. For women, the figure is 10cm.

Mr. Nguyen Thien Nhan stated “Vietnam is moving to the integration period, in which we need to pay attention to the quality of our people. We are keen to take Vietnam out of the list of countries with low height, stunted physique. For that goal, we must act today”.

The goal is that 100% of preschool children and primary school students are to drink milk by 2020

The goal is that by 2020, 100% of preschool children and primary school students in poor districts are to drink milk; 70% of preschool children and primary school students in urban and rural areas are to drink milk; meeting 90-95% their energy needs. The average height of school-aged children (6 years) increases from 1,5-2 cm for both boys and girls compared to 2010.

In the context of budgetary constraints, the programme is calling for the support and participation of the whole society.

As a partner of the programme, TH Group committs to fund dairy products worth VND 200 billion within 5 years (2016-2021) through the programme’s account.

School Milk programme is launched by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with the participation of 60 countries up to now./.

Ngoc Tran