Article 1: To approve the national target program for elimination of a number of social diseases and dangerous epidemics from 1998 till the year 2000 with the following principal contents:

1. The name of the program: The national target program for elimination of a number of social diseases and serious epidemics from 1998 till the year 2000.

2. Agency that manages the program: the Ministry of Health.

3. Objectives of the program:

3.1. To eliminate the following social diseases:

- Leprosy,

- Tuberculosis,

- Malaria,

- Goiter and cretinism.

3.2. To eliminate the following epidemics:

- Poliomyelitis,

- Infant tetanus,

- Measles,

- Diphtheria,

- Whooping cough.

3.3. To basically curb hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, cholera and typhoid.

4. Fund: shall be specifically allocated to each operation of constituent projects and included in annual plans.

Investment capital sources:

- State budget.

- ODA capital source.

- Capital mobilized from other sources.

5. The program management mechanism:

The elaboration, approval and execution of constituent projects and the management of the program shall comply with Decision No.05/1998/QD-TTg of January 14, 1998 of the Prime Minister on the management of national target programs.

Article 2: The Ministry of Health shall have to set up and direct the Steering Committee for the national target program for elimination of a number of social diseases and serious dangerous epidemics from 1998 till the year 2000.

The Program Steering Committee shall base itself on the approved priority objectives to select key projects and areas for implementation in each period, which meet the urgent requirements and are suitable to the capabilities of capital mobilization, preparation and implementation of the program in accordance with the State's regulations.

Article 3: This Decision takes effect 15 days after its signing.

Article 4: The Minister of Finance, the Minister of Planning and Investment, the Minister of Health, the presidents of the People's Committees of the provinces and cities directly under the Central Government and the heads of the concerned agencies shall have to implement this Decision within their respective assigned functions and tasks.