2. Considers that, in order to efficiently implement the Community Programme for Action, funds have to be increased (notably Community aid, including EDF funding) and used, as a priority, for reinforcing healthcare services and structures (including building and improving medical centres, providing equipment and training medical staff) in developing countries; stresses that this not only requires more investment in basic health services, but also the transfer of know-how and technologies in order to develop national capacity and increase the level of self-sufficiency in developing countries; calls on the Commission therefore to give pr ...[+++]iority to a continuous financial aid in this field, since well-functioning health care systems are essential components in the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria;

2. Considers that, in order to efficiently implement the Community Programme for Action, funds have to be increased (notably Community aid, including EDF funding) and used, as a priority, for reinforcing healthcare services and structures (including building and improving medical centres, providing equipment and training medical staff) in developing countries. This not only requires to invest more in basic health services, but also to ensure the transfer of know-how and technologies in order to develop national capacity and reach thus a higher level of self-sufficiency in developing countries; asks consequently the Commission to give pr ...[+++]iority to a continuous financial aid in this field, since well-functioning health care systems are essential components in the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria;

The bulk of Community financing however, amounting to ECU 3 551 000, was devoted to action in the medical field: equipment for artificial limb and rehabilitation centres and for a medicine sorting and labelling centre (Yerevan), diagnostic equipment (Leninakan), orthopaedic equipment (Yerevan and Kirovakan), paediatric equipment (Yerevan), equipment for 11 clinics, two hospitals (Leninakan and Dilijen), two general hospitals (Lernapat, Meghrout) and a paediatrics centre (Spitak).

The project involves : - a programme to improve the social and economic infrastructure (buildings, increased drinking water, rural tracks, telecommunications), - promotion of agricultural and livestock production (measures to combat erosion, cultivation of low-lying areas, propagation and dissemination of plant stock and livestock); - assistance for cooperatives; - measures to improve public health. SWAZILAND Vocational Training centre 5th EDF Matsapha-Manzani Grant 700.000 ECU Special Loan 3.200.000 ECU The aim of the present project is to establish the country's first Vocational Training Centre (V.T.C) to be situated at Matsapha, adj ...[+++]acent to the country's main industrial complex and the University of Swaziland.

However, actions at Community level to improve the flow of consumer information have taken the following forms: - descriptive information about goods and services: this information often appears in the form of labelling and some of the Directives mentioned earlier contain provisions relating to the requirements for such information; - prices surveys : the Commission sponsors comparative studies of prices of certain products as a means of detecting the extent of market segmentation, and to provide a basis for policy decisions; - comparative tests : many consumer associations undertake comparative tests and make the results available to ...[+++]their members: action has been taken . to provide financial assistance to the smaller associations to enable them to undertake such tests; . to stimulate the larger consumer organisations to publish the results of their tests on the basis of the Single Market rather than for each national market separately information and advice centres in trans-frontier regions : a network of 10 such centres has been established, based on existing organisations involved in consumer affairs, with the aim of providing specialist information and advice to consumers undertaking cross-frontier transactions; . the mass media : efforts are being made to improve the coverage of consumer issues, particularly at the Community level, by the mass media; . consumer education : the Commission has cooperated with organisations in Member-States in the development of didactic material, both for use in schools and for adult education.

The value of the loan corresponds to the cost of the Community steel to be used in the project for: - the twin railway tunnels and the service tunnel; - the terminals; - the rollingstock; - the fixed equipment and ancillary installations.