Newspaper fined for inaccuracy

The Ministry of Information and Communications' Deputy Chief Inspector, Do Thi Tinh, has decided to fine the Dan Viet online newspaper VND 15 million (US$714) for publishing inaccurate information.

The story in question, "The world's most magnificent presidential palaces," was carried on November 2. The paper could appeal or contest the decision, the ministry said.

The Information and Communication Ministry this year has issued fines on a large number of online and print newspapers for a variety of offences dealing with incorrect information.

Thanh Hoa fills gaping road sinkhole

Authorities in Thanh Hoa province's Quy Loc Commune have used 1,000 cubic metres of soil and rock to fill up a gaping sinkhole.

They have also repaired the road on which the sinkhole had appeared to ensure traffic safety, and provided financial support for local households to repair their houses and other property.

Local officials said they have instituted a ban on residents and businesses drilling wells and using dynamite to mine rock within a radius of 500 metres around the sinkhole.

The 25-metre-wide sinkhole appeared on October 28.

Fire hits An Ninh Industrial Zone

An extensive fire that broke out at 4:30pm yesterday afternoon at An Ninh Industrial Zone in Ha Noi's Hoai Duc District has been stamped out.

The fire occurred in a workshop producing tools for the Ministry of Public Security, according to deputy director of the city firefighting department Colonel To Xuan Thieu.

Six fire engines and hundreds of firefighters were sent to the scene to extinguish the fire, which took an hour and a half.

By 7pm yesterday, the scene was still sealed off for a technical examination.

The cause of the fire and the extent of damages remained unknown. The police are investigating the case.

People who lived nearby said that they heard explosions from the industrial zone and saw and smelled smoke.

The 10ha An Ninh Industrial Zone, located in Ha Noi's Lai Yen Commune, was built last year.

Lam Dong punishes illegal loggers

The People's Committee of the central Lam Dong province has fined 14 local men a total of VND700 million (US$33,600), or VND50 million (US$2,400) each, for illegal logging.

The men, who belong to the ethnic K'ho community and are between 20 and 40 years old, were caught in September with 4,881 cubic metres of du sam wood (Keteleeria evelyniana).

The above-mentioned wood is classified as endangered in the Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

Baby dies after receiving TB jab

A 44-day-old baby died yesterday after being given a TB vaccine on Monday in the northern province of Bac Kan.

Deputy Director of Bac Kan's Health Department Hoang Van Linh said the family had taken the baby to the Bang Phuc Commune infirmary after he experienced difficulty breathing and turned pale.

Linh said the baby died while he was being transferred to Cho Don Medical Centre for treatment.

The Bac Kan Health Department is investigating the baby's death.

According to Linh, it was a routine vaccination, and another baby had received a shot from the same batch with no ill consequences.

Da Nang fines illegal kaolin miners

Da Nang's People's Committee had fined two companies and an individual VND2.7 billion (US$128,600) for illegal kaolin exploitation in Hoa Vang District, the city's administration office said yesterday.

The illegal miners had excavated nearly 4,000 tonnes of porcelain clay in Hoa Bac Commune since July. The city also confiscated an excavator and VND480 million ($23,000) in cash.

Early diagnosis critical to stop child pneumonia

It is critical that parents and caregivers recognise the symptoms of pneumonia and understand the danger the disease poses to their children's health, and seek appropriate care immediately to reduce fatalities, a health expert has said.

Pneumonia is a severe form of acute lower respiratory infection caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi that specifically affects the lungs.

It was the world's number one infectious killer of children under five followed by diarrhea, malaria, injury, and HIV/AIDS, Truong Huu Khanh, head of the infectious disease department at HCM City's Pediatrics Hospital No.1, said.

Pneumonia kills an estimated 1.1 million children every year, with 98 per cent of deaths occurring in developing countries, he told a meeting to mark World Pneumonia Day yesterday.

In Viet Nam, around 2.9 million children under five contract the disease every year.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common cause of bacterial pneumonia in children, which usually makes them severely ill with high fever and rapid breathing.

Some common symptoms of pneumonia in children include cough, fast or difficult breathing, fever, chills, headaches, loss of appetite, and wheezing.

Children with pneumonia need to be hospitalised for immediate treatment with effective antibiotics.

Adequate nutrition is key to improving children's natural defences and protecting them from this and other diseases.

Pneumonia can be prevented by immunisation, adequate nutrition, hand washing with soap, and by addressing environmental factors like parental smoking and indoor air pollution.

Khanh warned of high levels of antibiotic resistance to treatments reported around the country.

Sustained use of antibiotics to treat children with pneumonia could make managing antibiotic resistance more difficult in future, he warned further.

HCM City hospital issues organ donor cards

Cho Ray Hospital in HCM City has helped narrow the gap between organ supply and demand, issuing nearly 200 donor cards to the public since the first one was granted to Ass. Prof. Nguyen Truong Son, director of the hospital, on October 28.

The issuance of cards follows regulations set out by the Law on Organ Donations, which became effective in 2007, said Professor Dr. Tran Ngoc Sinh, head of HCM City University of Medicine and Pharmacy's urology department.

Cho Ray is the first hospital in the country to issue organ donor cards.

The National Centre for Co-ordinating Human Organ Transplants established last year at Viet Duc Hospital is preparing to release donor cards nationwide.

Organs can be donated from people who have been diagnosed with brain death or a non-beating heart due to accidents or stroke.

The organs from one person could theoretically save at least seven patients waiting for kidney, heart, liver, lung or pancreas transplants, Sinh said.

The hospital's Unit for Co-ordinating Human Organ Transplants will choose the closest match between donor and recipient. The organs will be allocated to patients registered in the unit's database.

Since 1992, the hospital has performed nearly 400 kidney transplant surgeries, with live donor kidneys taken from relatives accounting for more than 95 per cent.

In 2008, the hospital performed the first kidney transplant from donors with brain death. Since then, it has conducted donor transplant of kidneys taken from seven people with brain death, saving the life of 13 patients.

The number of people diagnosed with brain death or a non-beating heart due to traffic accidents or illness is high, according to Sinh.

The cards will also help raise awareness about the need to save lives of people waiting for organ transplants.

WB, Vietnam sign US$ 500 million loan to improve energy efficiency

The State Bank of Vietnam and the World Bank on November 12 signed a US$ 500 million loan for a US$ 731.25 million operation in support of Vietnam’s energy sector.

The investment will fund construction of over 1,000 kilometers of transmission lines and implement Smart Grid technologies to improve reliability and quality of electricity supply.

“Improving energy efficiency is critical for Vietnam’s ability to meet energy demand to power growth and maintain improvements in welfare.” said Victoria Kwakwa, Country Director for the World Bank in Vietnam. “Energy efficiency improvements are also important for reducing Vietnam’s rapidly growing greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to climate change mitigation.”

The loan supports a Transmission Efficiency Project, which is expected to improve the capacity, efficiency and reliability of electricity transmission in areas that are key to the country’s economic development, including the Greater Hanoi Area, the Greater Ho Chi Minh City Area, the Mekong Delta, and the Central Region.

It will finance transmission lines and substations, constituting about 15% of the expected need for transmission network expansion by 2020. The project targets key investment needs in major economic development areas where transmission overloads are already present or are expected in the very near term.

In addition, the project will support Smart Grid technologies for monitoring, control, and protection equipment to improve reliability and reduce electricity outages, and help build the capacity of the National Power Transmission Company by supporting its operational and financial independence, as part of a plan to pilot a competitive energy wholesale market by 2015.

The total financing requirement of the project is estimated at US$731.25 million, of which US$500 million will be funded by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the World Bank Group’s lending arm for middle-income countries. The remaining US$231.25 million will be financed by the National Power Transmission Company, Electricity of Vietnam.

Japan to help Vietnam reduce hotel carbon emissions

The Japanese government has agreed to provide US$2.8 million in non-refundable aid to fund an innovative project aimed at reducing carbon emissions of large hotels in Vietnam.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the funding was signed on November 12 in Ho Chi Minh City by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) and the New Energy and the Industrial Technology Development Organisation (NEDO).

In accordance with the term of the MoU, NEDO has agreed to provide international administrative support for the implementation of the project.

Shinsuke Unisuga, a NEDO representative said it is hoped the project, the first of its kind in the ASEAN region, would dramatically reduce the harmful effects of carbon dioxide (CO2) in hotels across the nation.

Medal awarded to Vietnam-based TASS chief representative

The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) on November 13 presented the State’s Friendship Medal to Denhisovich Yuri Aleksandrovich, Chief Representative of the Russian News Agency TASS in Vietnam, for his contributions to the friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

At the presentation ceremony in Hanoi, VNA General Director Nguyen Duc Loi said Aleksandrovich has actively engaged in cooperation activities between VNA and TASS, and believed in the journalist’s greater achievements in his career to help deepen friendship among peoples in the world, particularly between Vietnam and Russia.

Expressing his honour to receive the noble reward of the Vietnamese State, Aleksandrovich pledged to do his utmost to strengthen the countries’ strategic comprehensive partnership and nurture the two peoples’ amity.

With his fluent Vietnamese and profound understanding of the country’s law and culture, the Russian reporter published stories reflecting Vietnam comprehensively, contributing to promoting the friendship, partnership and mutual understanding between the two countries.

Over the past years, VNA and TASS have effectively conducted the exchange of information, delegations and reporters, assisted each other’s correspondents, and cooperated at regional and international forums.-

Japan provides non-refundable aid for Vietnam

The Japanese Government will provide non-refundable aid worth US$500,975 for five projects in Vietnam.

Contracts on the aid were signed in Hanoi on November 12.

Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Hiroshi Fukada said the projects are expected to strengthen the relationship between two nations.

The five projects aim to develop two schools in Thai Nguyen and Hung Yen provinces, two medical centres in Hung Yen and Hai Duong provinces and one hospital in Hai Duong province.

Endangered animals rescued from illegal wildlife trade

The Management Board of the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park has announced that they are taking care of six endangered animals seized from the illegal trade in wildlife in the central province of Quang Binh.

The wild animals, including three stump-tailed macaques , two Assam macaques and a reticulated python, are in very bad health and suffered injuries to different parts of their bodies.

All the rescued animals are listed as endangered species in the Vietnam Red Book, requiring strict protection.

Traffic accident victims commemorated in Hanoi

A memorial service was held by Hanoi’s Transport Department on November 14 for the victims of fatal road accidents.

The event forms part of activities in response to the World Day of Remembrance for Victims of Road Traffic Accidents (November 16).

It aims to warn the public about traffic-related tragedies and raise the population’s awareness of driving carefully and abiding by traffic rules.

Addressing the event, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Quoc Hung expressed his sympathy to the families of the victims.

He also called o­n relevant agencies at all levels, as well as organisations and individuals to play an active part in curbing traffic accidents.

During the last 11 months, more than 1,800 traffic accidents were reported across the city, causing 560 deaths and 1,684 injuries, according to the Hanoi Traffic Police Department.

Online test on traffic safety attracted 150,000 participants

As many as 150,000 students from more than 6,000 schools throughout the country signed up for the online competition on smart traffic behaviour for the 2014-2015 school year at http://gttm.go.vn , which ran from October 14 to November 14, according to the National Traffic Safety Committee.

The competition recorded the outstanding participation of more than 1,000 competitors from a number of localities, including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh, Thai Binh, Quang Ninh, Nghe An, Quang Binh, Lam Dong, and Ba Ria-Vung Tau.

The competition, launched by the National Traffic Safety Committee, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Training, and the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, aims to improve traffic law compliance, introduce new laws on road traffic, and teach students’ traffic behaviour.

The first version of the competition was organised in southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau province for the 2012-2013 school year, with participation of 19,000 students from 223 schools nationwide.

Khmer-Vietnam primary school commences new school year

The General Association of Vietnamese Cambodian People launched the new academic year at the Khmer-Vietnam friendship primary school in Cambodia’s Prey Veng province on November 14.

Rector Nguyen Van Hao said the school welcomed over 200 Vietnamese and Cambodian children in seven classes, with two classes taught in the Cambodian language Khmer and five classes taught in Vietnamese.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Thach Du thanked local authorities for enabling Vietnamese children to go to school and integrate into the host society.

Later, a ceremony was held to inaugurate the staff house worth nearly 56,000 USD, with over 41,000 USD provided by the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap.

The Khmer-Vietnam friendship primary school was inaugurated in 2012, costing 145,000 USD, which was funded by Dong Thap’s Provincial People’s Committee.

Vietnamese expats in Czech Republic receive Labour Medal

The Vietnamese People’s Association in the Czech Republic was awarded the Third Class Labour Medal on November 13 for its contributions to garnering solidarity amongst the community of expatriate Vietnamese and helping consolidate the relationship between Vietnam and the Czech Republic.

A ceremony to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the association was also held on this occasion.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the State Committee for the Overseas Vietnamese Affairs Vu Hong Nam spoke highly of the association and its chapters’ role in connecting the Vietnamese community through a range of activities, such as sport and music events, Vietnamese language classes and establishing Vietnamese-language newspapers and portals.

Speaking at the event, Chairman of the association Hoang Dinh Thang said since its establishment on November 15, 1999, the association had become a strong social organisation that has drawn the participation of Vietnamese expats based on solidarity, integration into the host society, and close-knit relations with Vietnam.

The association currently has 28 member associations and 48 Vietnamese People chapters with a 96-member executive board, representing nearly 65,000 Vietnamese expats in the Czech Republic.

Over the past 15 years, the association has undertaken maximum efforts to increase the Vietnamese community’s quality of life and promote cooperation with the host country in a number of fields.

The Vietnamese community was officially recognised as the 14th ethnic minority group in the Czech Republic in July, 2013.

Conservation challenges from development projects

Minimising the adverse impacts of development projects on the environment and natural resources is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed urgently, experts said at a workshop in Hanoi on November 14.

Prioritising development projects, especially the construction of industrial parks and hydropower plants, without paying attention to biodiversity conservation and environmental protection has negative consequences for the environment and society.

According to Trinh Le Nguyen, Director of the Centre for People and Nature Reconciliation (PanNature), Vietnam is one of the 16 most biodiversity rich countries in the world.

The country is home to two World Natural Heritage sites, Ha Long Bay and Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, as well as World Biosphere reserves like Cat Ba Island, Cat Tien National Park, and Can Gio Mangrove Forest.

However, the overexploitation of natural resources in recent years is threatening the ecological system and biodiversity, mainly due to a lack of awareness of their importance on behalf of local authorities, businesses and local residents, Nguyen noted.

It is necessary to put an end to the exploitation of natural forests as soon as possible, while expanding protected areas and allocating more resources to environmental protection, he suggested.

Associate Professor PhD Ta Hoa Phuong from the University of Natural Science proposed authorities thoroughly evaluate development projects to foresee any harms they could make on the environment and biological diversity as well as consulting with scientific experts.

Chairman of the Vietnam Entomology Association, Vu Quang Con, mentioned the example of the world’s largest Son Doong cave in the UNESCO-recognised Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in central Quang Binh province.

He said constructing a cable car system that is not designed and managed carefully would seriously harm biodiversity and even cause biodiversity loss.

Finding a balance between the protection of natural heritage and economic growth as well as legal commitments constitutes one of the biggest challenges for the country, experts commented.

Localities move to combat diabetes

Free check-ups and consultations on diabetes were offered at an awareness raising event in Ho Chi Minh City on November 14 on the life-threatening disease and healthy lifestyles.

The event is part of a series of activities in response to World Diabetes Day (November 14).

Over the last 10 years, diabetes has increased at an alarming rate of 300 percent in the city, much higher than the country’s average.

As much as 7.9% and 35.6% of the municipal adult population suffer from diabetes and pre-diabetes, respectively.

Director of Ho Chi Minh City Nutrition Centre, Do Thi Ngoc Diep, said the growing number of local diabetes patients is to blame on protein-laden diets and a lack of physical activity.

Meanwhile, in northern Bac Giang province a number of projects have been implemented to prevent and control the disease, according to Tran Van Sinh, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Health.

As much as 70 percent of local patients have benefitted from the projects.

Director of Bac Giang’s Endocrine Disease and Malaria Prevention Centre, Hoang Xuan Thuc, said the centre has undertaken maximum efforts to facilitate patients’ access to consultations, medical services and medication, having served nearly 50,000 patients so far this year.

The locality also aims to enhance medical staff’s capacity and communication efforts to ensure effective prevention and control of the disease in the community.

As a chronic disease, diabetes increases the risk of other serious health problems, such as blindness or heart and kidney failure.

Medical experts said diabetes and its complications can be prevented through early treatment, staying in good physical shape and eating healthily.

In Vietnam , around five percent and 27% of the population suffer from diabetes or are at risk of developing diabetes, respectively.

Notably, 65% of patients have not been officially diagnosed, and a majority of those that have been diagnosed have yet to receive proper treatment.

In the 1990s, diabetes affected 1.2% of the population of 20- to 79-year-olds. The rate jumped to 2.7% in 2002 and 5.7% in 2012.

People suffering from obesity and high blood pressure face a higher risk of developing diabetes.

Vietnamese teachers appreciated at Hanoi ceremony

President Truong Tan Sang and other senior officials joined exemplary teachers from all corners of the country at a ceremony in Hanoi on November 13 to mark the Vietnamese Teachers’ Day (November 20).

Minister of Education and Training Pham Vu Luan said between 1988 and 2012, the People’s Teacher title was bestowed upon 528 individuals while 6,735 others received the title of Meritorious Teacher.

Among 39 holders of the People’s Teacher title this year, the oldest is Prof. Le Quang Long, 95, from the Hanoi National University of Education.

The youngest among 680 new Meritorious Teachers is 34-year-old Mai Thi Tham from southern Binh Phuoc province and 19 are ethnic minorities, Luan said.

Congratulating Vietnamese educators on their Day, President Truong Tan Sang highlighted the educational sector’s efforts to innovate its management, curricula, teaching, learning, and assessment methods, and improve the living and studying conditions for teachers and students in rural areas.

He asked the ministry and the whole society to pay more heed to the education cause.

At the ceremony, the leader presented the titles of People’s Teacher and Meritorious Teacher to representatives of the awardees.

The Vietnamese Teachers’ Day (November 20) officially came into being in 1982.

Vietnamese bank supports Lao press

The Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV) on November 14 offered ten computers and two printers to the Laos News Agency (KPL) to support its news coverage.

On behalf of KPL’s executive board, Sounthon Khanthavong highly valued the support of BIDV for the Lao press in general and KPL in particular, saying that the assistance will contribute to improving the press quality as well as professional knowledge.

Speaking at the event, Duong Van Phuong, head of the BIDV branch in Laos , thanked KPL for accompanying the bank in social activities here.

Since 2005, BIDV has involved in various social welfare activities in Laos , donating nearly 10 million USD to the country’s poverty reduction and human resource training programmes.

These efforts have helped tighten the friendship and solidarity between the people of Vietnam and Laos.-

Conference seeks ways to improve child cancer treatment

Early detection could have a good survival rate for up to 40% of cancer patients, heard a national childhood cancer conference in Hanoi on November 13.

The conference, the 7th of its kind, is one of the annual activities of the Vietnam Childhood Cancer Programme, which is funded by Sweden’s Lund University and implemented in Vietnam from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2015.

The growing number of cancer patients is posing a huge challenge for the health sector. As many as 150,000 new cancer cases are reported every year. Leukaemia accounts for 30% of cases of child cancer.

Addressing the event, Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Thi Xuyen appreciated the Lund programme for helping improve the quality of cancer diagnosis and treatment for child patients through training specialised health workers, updating treatment courses, and providing medical equipment.

She emphasised the need to launch more communication campaigns to increase parents’ awareness of this disease, organise prenatal and newborn screening in order to early detect cancer cases, and apply cutting-edge treatment.

Domestic and foreign scientists to the conference, scheduled to wrap up on November 14, are expected to present reports on treatment results of acute myeloid leukaemia, lymphoma, and brain tumour, as well as on new technologies and cancer medicine.

Agencies jointly provide legal assistance for ethnic minorities

The Ministry of Justice and the Government Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs will work closely to build and issue legal documents as well as programmes and projects related to ethnic minority groups.

Under their 2014-2020 coordination programme signed in Hanoi on November 13, the two agencies will include contents involving the habits and customs and cultural identities of ethnic minority groups in the legal system in a bid to preserve and promote them.

They will also coordinate in inspecting the systematisation of legal documents in the field so as to swiftly detect shortcomings and limitations and then make timely adjustments.

Both will jointly perform their professional activities to manage and supervise the implementation of ethnic minority policies.

During the period, the ministry will join hands with the committee to build a draft law on ethnic minority affairs, develop and carry out legal support projects for ethnic minority communities, and run communication campaigns to raise public awareness of the law.

Addressing the signing ceremony, Minister-Chairman of the committee Giang Seo Phu said the programme marks a new development in the two agencies’ cooperation, adding that it contributes to caring the lives of ethnic minority groups.

Meanwhile, Minister of Justice Ha Hung Cuong underscored the need to focus on implementing effectively cooperation contents set in the programme.

The collaboration between the two agencies is expected to contribute to increasing the quality and efficiency of building legal documents in the State management of ethnic minority affairs, thus ensuring the legitimate rights and benefits of ethic minority inhabitants.-

HCM City, Japan’s Shiga prefecture boost links

Ho Chi Minh City and Japan’s Shiga prefecture agreed to establish their cooperation in economy and industry following the spirit of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in the city on November 13.

Under the MoU, the two sides will forge links in fields of common concern, especially support and hi-tech industries, education and training in technology and science, trade, labour, tourism, and environment.

Both localities will create favourable conditions for their enterprises to operate effectively in respective side and swiftly provide them with information on investment climate and the two governments’ policies.

They will also work closely to support collaboration initiatives between the HCM City Hi-tech Zone Management Board and Shiga’s Department of Trade, Industry, Tourism and Labour.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Le Hoang Quan, Chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee highlighted the developing ties between the two nations, describing it as a stable foundation to further bolster connectivity between their localities and enterprises.

He noted HCM City and Shiga see many opportunities to boost all-around links, especially in the hi-tech field.

Expressing his impression at HCM city’s dynamic development, Shiga Governor Taizou Mikazuki said his locality is willing to assist the Vietnamese city in developing the domains of high technology, education and environment.

The HCM City-Shiga cooperation will contribute to deepening the two countries’ relations further, he stressed.

Vietnam’s science-technology integration into ASEAN examined

The National Institute for Science and Technology Policy and Strategy Studies held a workshop in Ho Chi Minh City on November 13 to seek to further Vietnam’s science and technology integration into ASEAN.

Dr. Bach Tan Sinh from the institute, which is under the Ministry of Science and Technology, said Vietnam is facing an array of policy-relating challenges that hamper its science-technology innovation and integration.

An overlapping research institution system and underdeveloped infrastructure have also limited research quality, he noted, adding that relevant aspects like data, consultation, and evaluation systems, technology transfer and intellectual property have been developed incomprehensively.

Meanwhile, the ministry’s Department of International Cooperation said a number of Vietnamese experts are still weak in foreign language as well as in publishing research findings on international professional magazines.

Participants said to speed up the integration, Vietnam should focus on preparing quality human resources, creating a favourable cooperation environment, facilitating international integration of science and technology organisations and businesses, and adapting its science and technology policies to international standards.

In its project on international science-technology integration until 2020, Vietnam plans to focus on such areas as innovation, high-technology, research areas that direct application and support industries, and boost study activities at universities.

Vietnam-Japan Association Friendship launched in Vinh Long

The Vietnam-Japan Friendship Association’s chapter in southern Vinh Long province convened its first congress on November 11 to set forth its tasks for the 2014-2019 tenure.

The congress elected an executive board including six members.

The chapter’s activities will focus on consolidating and developing the friendship and cooperation between Vinh Long and Japan, especially in the fields of economy, health, education, culture, tourism and science-technology.

Addressing the event, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Tran Van Ron said that the establishment of the chapter marks a new development in people-to-people exchange between Japan and Vietnam in general and Vinh Long in particular.

Vinh Long is now home two Japanese businesses, namely Acecook Vietnam and Ajinomoto Vietnam . In 2011-2012 period, the province received more than VND7 billion (US$340,000) in non-refundable aid from Japan via rural clean water and disaster relief projects and programmes.

New bridge at Vietnam-Cambodia border to open soon

A bridge connecting the southern province of Tay Ninh with Cambodia’s Prey Veng across the Vam Co Dong River will open to traffic later this month, according to Tay Ninh provincial Transport Department.

The construction on the 77.28m long bridge began in April last year with a total investment of 44 billion VND (2.1 million USD) sourced from Tay Ninh province’s budget.

The bridge, together with a 1.5 km approaching road, is part of a project to develop cross-border trade at the Tan Nam border gate.

Once operational, the bridge is expected to facilitate the flow of goods and travel between Tay Ninh and the Cambodian provinces of Prey Veng and Kongpong Cham, contributing to the region’s socio-economic development.-

Forum talks HIV/AIDS prevention and control

More than 450 delegates from ministries, agencies and localities nationwide are gathering in the central city of Danang to share their experience in HIV/AIDS prevention.

The Vietnam Civil Society Partnership Platform on AIDS (VCSPA), taking place on November 12-14, is co-organised by the VCSPA governing board, the Vietnam Research Institute for Social Development, the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS Project and the Centre for Supporting Community Development (SCDI).

During the event, participants discussed the HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis situation in Vietnam , the role of community-based and non-governmental organisations in realising national targets, as well as the outcomes of intervention models in HIV prevention.

They also highlighted challenges they face in the work and put forth ways to improve people’s access to HIV/AIDS prevention and control services.

Deputy Director of the Department of AIDS Prevention and Control under the Ministry of Health Bui Duc Duong hailed the event for connecting social organisations in the fight against the deadly disease.

The annual platform currently has more than 300 member entities, including non-governmental and community-based organisations, vulnerable groups and individuals in 48 provinces and cities throughout the nation.

Ill sailor on foreign ship gets timely help

A sailor with appendicitis on board a Panamanian vessel off the coast of central Khanh Hoa province was brought ashore for timely treatment by Vietnamese rescue ship SAR 27-01 on November 12.

The Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (VMRCC) receive a request for help from the Franbo Prospect which was en route from Thailand to Hong Kong and promptly dispatched the rescue ship to help.

The patient, a 36-year-old Vietnamese national named Pham Van Tinh, was rushed to a provincial hospital in Khanh Hoa’s Nha Trang city.

At the time of rescuing the ill sailor, the SAR 27-01 was on a mission to find eight sailors who were reporting missing after two cargo ships, the Phuc Xuan 68 and Nam Vy 69, collided off the coast of Nha Trang city on November 9.

Communities use mobiles to prepare for disasters

NGO ActionAid and Microsoft on November 12 launched a pilot project using mobilephones and Microsoft Data Gathering (MDG) tools for use in disaster response in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang.

The densely populated province is located in a low-lying area especially vulnerable to a range of hazards including floods, drought, cyclones and sea water intrusion.

As part of the project, local communities are being encouraged to co-operate with the government to prepare for and respond to disasters.

ActionAid will train local communities in how to use mobilephones and MDG tools to collect, map and analyze weather and climate-related risks and vulnerabilities.

The data collected from local communities will become part of disaster-preparedness planning and response plans at the local and national level.

A computer-based Disaster Risk Reduction Information Centre with MDG integration will be established in districts, and an Early Warning System will be set up.

The project is being piloted in three communes in the province's Long Phu District.

The test run in the last three months in the communes showed that end-users and residents could master the technology, according to a press release from ActionAid.

Hoa Binh asked to reduce poverty among ethnic minorities

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has urged the northern province of Hoa Binh to intensify poverty reduction and improve the living conditions for its ethnic minority communities, especially those living in far-flung areas.

Speaking at the province’s conference for ethnic minorities on November 14, Phuc, who is head of the Northwestern Region Steering Committee, emphasised the need to address issues ethnic minority people are facing relating to capital, land for production and accommodation, and clean water.

The province should guide them how to apply advanced technologies in production in an effort to raise labour productivity and incomes, he said.

The Deputy PM asked local authorities to combine vocational training with job generation, as well as ensure political security and social order.

The province was also requested to make full use of all resources to better the socio-economic infrastructure system in ethnic-inhabited areas, with the focus on building or upgrading roads, schools, and water and medical facilities.

Hoa Binh province is now home to a number of ethnic groups, including Muong, Kinh, Thai, Tay , Dao, Hmong and Hoa.

During the 2009-2014 period, thanks to nearly VND540 billion (US$25.38 million) funded by the national target programme on sustainable poverty reduction, the province has built 1,815 infrastructure facilities and 59 water supply works in disadvantaged communes, and helped poor households buy production machines, seeds and breeds.

 Vietnamese in Australia support fishermen in home country

The Vietnamese community in Australia has donated 3,600 AUD in support of fishermen back in their home country at a charity night in Sydney on November 11.

The donation has been delivered to the club “For the beloved Hoang Sa and Truong Sa” set up by the Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund.

Addressing the event, former Vice President Truong My Hoa, who is also Chairwoman of the Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund, praised the Vietnamese community in Australia for their valuable support for the homeland.

She also informed that the Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund has built two primary schools in Truong Sa island district with money raised by the “For the beloved Hoang Sa and Truong Sa” club.

Participants at the charity night suggested organising more fund raising activities such as cultural exchanges or art performances.

Vietnam urged to improve sci-tech capability

Vietnam is still facing challenges developing science and technology to satisfy the demand during international integration, experts said at a conference held in Ho Chi Minh City on November 13.

Dr. Bach Tan Sinh, of the National Institute for Science and Technology Policy and Strategic Studies, said research in the fields was still modest, leaving unsatisfactory results.

He added that information systems, consulting systems, and assessment and science technology transfer system had not been developed well.

With an advanced science and technology level and an improved investment environment, it would be easier for Vietnam to integrate internationally.

At the conference, held by the Ministry of Science and Technology, participants offered their assessments of the current status of science and technology in ASEAN.

Prof. Dr. Duong Nguyen Vu, of Vietnam National University - HCM City, said scientific research was essential for enterprises to produce quality products to compete in the market of the ASEAN Economic Community, which will be established next year.

The experts said that Vietnam should train high-ranking human resources and improve capability of local scientists, as well as develop policy for science technology development that would meet international regulations and standards.

Vietnamese scientists have cooperated with more than 70 countries and territories in the world, but, according to the institute, the capability of Vietnamese scientists is still limited, especially in foreign languages and international relations, among others.

A survey conducted by the institute showed that 73 percent of respondents who were scientific managers said that only 25 percent of their staff could use French or English.

All of the interviewed managers said that scientific research carried out by Vietnamese generally did not have good results, even when there was collaboration with foreign partners.

Technology boosts business competitiveness

Business leaders came together at a workshop in Hanoi on November 14 to promote the application of technology in Vietnam’s small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in a bid to enhance competitiveness and expand markets.

According to the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who organised the event, technology is an effective tool for SMEs to promote their products, improve operations, reduce travel time and costs, and push exports.

Le Duc Anh from the Department of E-commerce and Information Technology said Vietnam has seen substantial growth in e-commerce over the past three years.

With advanced technology, SMEs with limited financial resources and low competitiveness will stand better chances to access international markets, Anh added.

Director of Asian-Pacific SME Energy Markets at Facebook, Huynh Kim Tuoc highlighted Facebook’s role as an effective marketing tool that connects businesses all over the world.

Meanwhile, General Director of the United Parcel Services (UPS), Jeff McLean, said UPS’ logistic services would help users follow up on their deliveries, thus reducing risks and errors in the process.

In 2013, the total value of e-commerce in Vietnam totalled two billion USD, and is expected to double in 2015.

Officials say lax management fosters bribery in health care industry

Recently, Bio-Rad Laboratories, a California-based firm, was accused of handing out bribes to Vietnamese officials in order to win a contract. Nguyen Van Tien, vice chairman of the National Assembly (NA)’s Committee of Social Affairs, underlined the necessity of clarifying whether the company is trading in medical equipment or pharmaceuticals.

“Currently, it is common practice for doctors to be given commissions on the prescriptions they write. This process needs to be controlled, and the way to do that is to audit the expenses of pharmaceutical firms, along with those who benefit from their payments. This, however, is a very difficult process to undertake. At least in the case of Bio-Rad Laboratories, I hope we can find those who are responsible,” Tien said.

He went on to say that violators must be strictly dealt with and that the bribery system has become very sophisticated, ranging from sponsoring business trips to foreign countries to directly handing out cash. It is difficult to control the prices of medical equipment and pharmaceuticals, and it has been suggested that the NA should add one article concerning pharmaceuticals to the law.

“Currently, dozens of foreign pharmaceutical companies are operating in Vietnam, and I think giving commissions has become the norm in the sector. The means of payment is diverse and hard to control,” he noted.

Vice Chairman of the NA’s Committee of Justice Nguyen Dinh Quyen, said, “I’m not really surprised to hear about that case, as it is an obvious result of lax management.”

Tien said that the fact that cash is largely used in Vietnam makes it more difficult to combat this type of corruption.

Meanwhile, Quyen said that a combination of fines and strict criminal punishments could create an effective deterrent for those who would break the law.

Experts discuss measures to cope with tuberculosis in Vietnam

Fresh measures to deal with emerging challenges in detecting and controlling tuberculosis (TB) in Vietnam are being sought from leading Vietnamese and foreign experts.

At a conference in Ho Chi Minh on November 10-11, Dr. Martina Casenghi from the Doctors without Borders pointed to the significant use of tools that help doctors promptly determine drug-resistant tuberculosis in discovering and controlling the disease.

Timely and accurate diagnose is key to ensure TB suffers are treated appropriately, said Casenghi.

TB is the second leading cause of death from a single infectious agent in the world after HIV.

Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Lan, head of Microbiology Department of Pham Ngoc Thach Hospital, said doctors are now using advanced technologies to identify the disease, including the cutting-edge Gene Xpert technology.

However, the costly technology makes it an obstacle to the national TB control programme, which is in short of finances due to declining foreign assistance, Lan said.

She talked about a molecular approach that will come up with faster and more accurate testing results to improve the treatment efficiency.

During the conference, participants also assessed the current medical need in tuberculosis treatment in Vietnam , as well as requirements in researching and developing methods of early diagnosis and treatment.

According to the World Health Organisation, TB killed 1.5 million people out of 9 million-infected patients in the world in 2013. Of the fatal cases, 360,000 were among HIV-positive people.

The organisation noticed that last year, Vietnam had 102,196 TB-infected cases.

VFF salutes key community workers

The Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) on November 11 awarded certificates of merit to 15 individuals and collectives for their lifetime dedication and achievements in social work.

Speaking at the award presentation ceremony, Vu Trong Kim, VFF Vice President and General Secretary, said social work is a vitally important profession that provides countless benefits to society.

Professional social workers provide a vast number of diverse services dealing with difficult societal problems that contribute much to the national development, Kim said, adding it takes skill and a special type of person to do the work.

Social work has achieved impressive good results over the past four years and is now taught at about 40 universities and colleges across the nation, he noted.

Cheaper petrol lowers Da Nang taxi fares

Six taxi firms in the central city will cut their fares this week, Chairman of the city's taxi association Vo Thanh Nhan has told Viet Nam News.

The fares will be cut from VND500 (2.3 US cents) to VND800 (3.8 cents) per kilometre from this week, following the fall in domestic petrol prices last week.

The decision to cut fares was announced at a meeting of the taxi association last week. The reduction in fares will be based on each firm's decision, Nhan added.

Petrol and oil retailers reduced the prices of RON 92 and RON 95 gasoline by VND950 to VND21,390 ($1) and VND21,990 ($1.03) per litre respectively.

The price of the 0.05S and 0.25S diesel varieties was also cut by VND520 to stand at VND19,240 (90 US cent) per litre.

Mai Linh Taxi, one of the leading taxi companies in the city with 438 cars, has offered the largest fare cut, ranging from VND700 (3.3 cents) to VND2,000 (9.5 cents) per kilometre from yesterday.

The firm operates 2,300 green-coloured taxis in 15 provinces in the central and Central Highlands .

The Phu Hoang Corporation, which owns the Tien Sa Taxi, will also cut fares from VND700 (3.3 cents) to VND1,500 (7.1 cents) from yesterday.

However, trucks and passenger transport companies have found it difficult to make adjustments in their rates, as they need time to reprint tickets and seek the tax and administrative agencies' approval.

More than 1,000 taxis in the city have installed the Global Positioning System (GPS) car tracking system since last year. 

VNN/VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/ND