Hot weather continues hitting nationwide

At present, the northwestern and central provinces from Thanh Hoa to Phu Yen, even including the Mekong Delta region continue to face hot wave with the highest daily temperature at 35- 37 degrees Celsius, even some place like Nghe An and Quang Tri will meet the temperature of 37 degrees Celsius.

According to the National Hydrology Meteorology Forecast Center, hot weather continues to occur in the northwestern, north and central provinces.

In the northern region, the extreme daily temperature is predicted to reach at 34- 37 degrees Celsius, up to over 38 degrees Celsius in some place. The temperature in the northern to central provinces from Thanh Hoa to Phu Yen is predicted to cover at 35- 38 degrees Celsius in the upcoming days.

Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City and the southern region's temperature will be maintained at dry weather, fewer cloud. The highest temperature in these areas will reach at 33- 36 degrees Celsius. Showery weather will appear at weekend nights.

As the related weather news, an ongoing typhoon named Dolphin, which moves from offshore Pacific Ocean, towards the westward of East Sea.

Protest over payout halts highway work in Quang Nam

Residents of a commune in Quang Nam Province have halted work on the national highway due to a disagreement over land compensation.

Work on the National Highway 1A section running through central Quang Nam Province stopped after residents of Binh Nguyen Commune in Thang Binh District’s Ha Lam town blocked construction.

Duong Viet Roan, deputy director of the Ministry of Transport's Department for Management of Traffic Work Construction and Quality, said 56 households in Thang Binh District had yet to agree to compensation rates.

Several local women stood in front of an excavator and some lay in the path of machinery.

At a recent meeting with provincial authorities, the Deputy Minister of Transport, Nguyen Ngoc Dong, said construction of the section needed to be completed by May 30.

Local police were called to the site to protect construction workers and machinery.

Highway construction has also faced opposition from local residents in Ha Lam town in Thang Binh District.

“We’ve tried our best,” said the chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, Dinh Van Thu. “We suggested local residents bring a case to the court, but none have done so. We have held several dialogues, but have failed to reach any agreement.”

Than Hoa, director of Civil Engineering Construction Joint Stock Company 545, the project’s BOT (build-operate-transfer) contractor said there was still 10-to-15 days work to be done to complete the section, but dozens of families, unhappy with the level of compensation, have refused to hand over their land.

Black tomato harvest begins, fans pay high prices

Harvesting of black tomatoes, a much sought-after delicacy in Vietnam, has begun, and they are attracting high prices, because of their exotic appearance and touted healthy properties, and because storms have reduced supply.

The tomatoes are believed to have been developed at Oregon State University, in the US. The pigments from the stem turn them black as they ripen in sunlight.

They are rich in anthocyanins, an antioxidant believed to help fight cancer, diabetes and obesity.

Regular tomatoes sell for VND7,000 to VND12,000 a kilogramme, while black tomatoes attract prices of VND65,000 to VND140,000 a kilogramme.

Many gardens in Lam Dong Province, which switched to the more expensive variety, have opened to visitors as harvesting begins.

Tran Mao, owner of an agriculture shop in Da Lat, said there were many orders for black tomatoes, but because of recent storms and hail, the already relatively small harvest has been even smaller.

A kilogramme of black tomatoes - VND65,000 to VND140,000.

Nguyen Thuy Duong, a local in Hanoi, said she ordered her six tomatoes about a week ago, and was happy to take delivery.

Seeds for the exotic tomato are expensive, discouraging those who want to grow them at home.

Tran Thu Ha said she had to undertake an extensive search, but managed to find a bag of ten seeds, which cost VND170,000.

"My family really likes black tomato, but it's too pricy so I wanted to grow them myself. The plants are now fruiting and hopefully we will have some to eat in the next two weeks," Ha said.

A shop in HCM City said seeds from the US have a high germination rate and each seed costs as much as VND26,000. Seeds from China and Russia are cheaper, but had a lower chance of bearing fruit.

HCM City gets electric buses

HCM City will launch its first electric bus service going through downtown tourist destinations like Ben Thanh Market, the War Remnants Museum and the Nguyen Hue walking street early next month.

The buses will run between September 23 Park and Sai Gon Zoo and Botanical Garden in District 1 with 27 stops along the way on streets such as Ton Duc Thang, Nguyen Hue, Hai Ba Trung, and Le Duan.

They will operate between 8am and 6pm every day, with a bus departing every 10 minutes. Tickets will cost VND10,000 while a bus can be rented for VND100,000 (US$4.7) per hour.

Tens of thousands of private abattoirs remain uncontrolled

Only some 12,000 out of more than 34,600 private abattoirs are controlled by veterinary agencies, while the rest are illegal and barely meet hygiene standards, a conference heard yesterday.

The information was revealed at a conference held by the Veterinary Department, under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Director of the department Pham Minh Dong said the slaughter and transport of cattle and poultry from these private, unhygienic abattoirs would increase the possibility of transmitting diseases from ill animals to humans.

A survey released by the department showed that the hygiene of most illegal private slaughterhouses nationwide was substandard. Waste water was directly discharged into rivers, and the slaughter was carried out on dirty floors.

Wells or rivers, which could not meet hygiene standards, were mainly used as sources of water.

According to Dong, the boom in illegal abattoirs was mainly attributable to a shortage of staff and loose management of authorised agencies.

Eleven to be prosecuted for attacking officers

Nguyen Trung Can and 10 of his alleged accomplices in Thanh Hoa district, southern Long An province, will be prosecuted for an attempted murder of state officers on duty.

This decision was made by the district's investigation agency yesterday.

Nguyen Trung Can's 10 accomplices are Mai Van Tung, Nguyen Thi Thang, Mai Quoc Hen, Nguyen Trung Tai, Mai Van Dat, Mai Thi Kim Huong, Mai Van Phong, Nguyen Trung Linh, Phung Van Tuan, and Phung Thi Ly.

On April 13, the district's People's Committee had decided to forcibly remove their houses along a canal embankment.

On April 14, the day they were scheduled to be removed, Can and his accomplices gathered petroleum, gas tanker, knife, and scissors and threatened and attacked policemen who had come to evict them from the houses.

Three police officers were injured in the incident.

Can admitted to his crime to an investigation agency.

Water company asked to meet city's demand

Chairman of the People's Committee Nguyen The Thao has asked Ha Noi's Water Company to meet residents' demand for clean water this summer.

He met with the company officials this morning to discuss a plan to supply water to the residents of the capital city in the coming months.

It is estimated that demand for clean water will increase by 5 to 7 per cent, or 40,000 to 60,000cu.m. per day.

Thao said that power supply has rather been smooth, although it's just the beginning of the summer. If power is switched off, it will affect the functioning of water pumping stations, he said.

Requesting for aggressive measures, the chairman asked water supply units to check their pumping stations, water pipe systems, and distribution systems. If the water transmission and distribution system develops any hitch, timely action should be taken to solve it, he stressed.

The company should also anticipate water cuts in certain areas and make alternative arrangements, such as distributing water on water tank trucks.

Thao also called on relevant agencies to ensure a strict monitoring of clean water wastage and encourage residents to save water.

MoU signed on road safety plan for children

The U.S. State Department and AIP Foundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on a Public-Private Partnership to raise funds from the U.S. and Vietnamese corporations to provide helmets and road safety tips to students in provinces across Vietnam.

Under the partnership, AIP Foundation and the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi will organise events and helmet donations supporting the pre-existing Helmets for Kids programme. The goal is to provide educational activities and helmets to 25,000 children from at-risk schools across the country. This partnership is a unique platform combining expertise from the U.S. and Vietnamese governments, NGOs, and the business sector to address a mutual public health concern.

The partnership further complements the National Child Helmet Action Plan, launched by the Vietnam National Traffic Safety Committee in January 2015, which aims to significantly raise the ratio of children across Vietnam wearing helmets through a combination of public education and enforcement strategies.

Hanoi police capture cyber-criminals

Three delinquents were arrested in Hanoi on May 14 on charges of appropriation of private assets via the internet.

The young men, all born in 1990, are originally cyber-security staff.

Le Van Nguyen initiated the gang into criminal activities after successfully attacking the host computer system at a game station.

The ring carried out their cyber fraud by taking control of 48,113 bank credit profiles stored in two websites, of which 34,000 counts of private information were sold for more than 400 million VND (18,605 USD).

The case is under further investigation.

Vietnam, US discuss religious policies

Vietnamese and US scholars and religious dignitaries discussed religious policies in their respective countries during a workshop held in Washington DC on May 12.

The event created an opportunity for participants to increase mutual understanding in the field.

Discussions were focused on legal regulations regarding religious organisations, their property rights, new religions and religious activities of foreign nationals.

Participants also compared notes on the situation and experience of their country on religious policy and environment for religious activities.

Vice Chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee for Culture, Education, Adolescents, and Children Affairs Trinh Ngoc Thach said he believes the workshop helped the US scholars better understand the religious issues and policies in Vietnam .

The Vietnamese scholars, in turn, also accumulated lawmaking experience from the US , he said, adding that laws and policies must ensure both the State legal principals and the relative freedom and independence of religious organisations.

The workshop was jointly organised by the Vietnamese Embassy in the US, the US Department of State, the University of Social Science and Humanities under the Vietnam National University-Hanoi and the Institute for Global Engagement.-

Ministries respond to drug prevention action month

The Prime Minister has requested ministries, sectors and People’s Committees at municipal and provincial levels carry out drug prevention action month in June 2015.

He urged involved parties to increase public awareness-raising campaigns on the harmful effect of new psychoactive drugs as well as disseminate the Government’s policies in drug treatment, especially methadone therapy.

The Government leader also suggested building effective community-based support centres for drug users while diversifying communication methods through culture and sport activities and strictly supervising and eradicating illegal drug marketing on the internet.

Specifically, the Ministry of Public Security ought to double efforts to crack down on major drug trafficking rings in domestic hot-spots while working with the Ministry of National Defence to prevent drugs from entering the country via international border gates, seaports and airports.

The Ministry of Labour, Invalid and Social Affairs is responsible for completing relevant legal documents and assisting drug users to integrate into the community.

The Ministry of Health is to direct municipal and provincial health departments to open training courses and expand methadone maintenance treatment which had initial success during a pilot in northern Hai Phong city and southern Ho Chi Minh City in 2008.

The programme has now expanded to 32 cities and provinces nationwide with more than 17,500 patients being treated in 92 clinics. After a 12-month treatment course, many patients saw their physical and mental health stabilise, according to the ministry.

According to the Ministry of Public Security, Vietnam had more than 204,000 registered drug users last year, up 42.7 percent from 2010.

The ministry will devise a drug use prevention programme for 2016-2020 to submit to the government for approval.

US Marine Corps University delegation visits Vietnam

Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, Rear Admiral Pham Ngoc Minh received a delegation from the US Marine Corps University in Hanoi on May 14.

The RearAdmiral praised the US delegation’s field research in Vietnam and wished the trip would yield great successes.

According to Minh, bilateral relations between the two countries has seen remarkable achievements in many fields since their normalisation in 1995, particularly in naval forces, healthcare, overcoming war consequences, search and rescue, humanitarian relief and training cooperation.

The US delegation thanked the Rear Admiral for his warm reception and discussed several matters of mutual concern.-

Thai Nguyen agencies honoured with Lao Friendship Orders

Three agencies in the northern province of Thai Nguyen have been honoured with Lao Friendship Orders presented by Saisamon Khomthavong, Vice Governor of Luang Prabang province.

The three recipients are the provincial People’s Committee, the provincial Department of Education and Training and the Department of External Affairs.

Saisamon Khomthavong took the occasion to thank Vietnam in general and Thai Nguyen province in particular for helping Luang Prabang train Lao students.

Since 2010, thousands of Lao students have studied in Thai Nguyen.

Thai Nguyen leaders informed the Lao delegation of the province’s recent social-economic situation and urged Luang Prabang to continue creating favourable conditions for Thai Nguyen enterprises to expand investment, thus tightening diplomatic and economic ties between the two localities.

Thai Nguyen currently has 20 enterprises operating in export, import and tourism in Laos, producing dozens of billions VND in revenue and thousands of jobs for workers from both countries.

War heroes remains repatriated from Laos

The Central province of Quang Binh held a solemn memorial service on May 14 for the remains of 26 Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who lost their lives during wartime in Laos.

Representatives from Laos’ Khammuone province, the Government’s Special Task Board, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and the High Command Zone 4 as well as local authorities and residents attended the ceremony.

After the memorial service, the sets of remains, which were collected in Laos during the 2014-2015 dry season, were reburied at the Ba Doc martyrs’ cemetery in Bo Trach district.

Millions of Vietnamese soldiers laid down their lives for national liberation during the two resistance wars against French and US forces as well as in international missions in Laos and Cambodia.

Thousands of fallen soldiers are still unaccounted for across Vietnam and the two neighbouring countries.

The search for, gathering, repatriation and re-interment of the martyrs is conducted annually, receiving due attention from the Party and the State.

Bike ride raises scholarship funds

Three photographers and a videographer teamed up to make a 5,500km cross-country trip by motorbikes to raise money for charity.

They went from the northern town of Dong Van to the southern town of Ca Mau. During their 60-day journey they aimed to raise 1 USD per kilometre travelled for the East Meets West Foundation's scholarship programme.

An exhibition entitled Going South feauring 30 photographs and six short films of their adventure will open at 7pm of May 15 at Chula, 6 Nhat Chieu Street, near the West Lake Water Park.

The free exhibition will remain open until May 17.

The intrepid travellers were Hong Kong-based photographer Chris Lusher, Hanoi photographer Trong Tung Dzon, videographer Bachir Sareh, and Ho Chi Minh City photographer Morgan Ommer.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved a Japanese-funded technical support project to improve the working capacity of management boards of official development assistance projects in Vietnam .

The Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR) pledged 1.5 million USD in non-refundable aid through the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the project, which will be carried out between 2015 and 2017.

The project aims to provide technical assistance for management boards at the provincial level, thus bettering the preparations for and implementation of ODA projects in the country.

Vietnam to join Mekong transport, trade facilitation project

The Prime Minister has approved Vietnam ’s involvement in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) Transport and Trade Facilitation project, which will run from April 2015 to December 2016.

The Australian government will provide 3.7 million USD in non-refundable aid for the project via the Asian Development Bank.

The project will strengthen coordination among Vietnam , Laos , Cambodia and Myanmar in border management, including immigration and customs procedures, towards the goal of launching a e-customs transit system for the GMS region and enhanced risk management standards.

The scheme also aims to harmonise and put in place bilateral and multilateral transport agreements in the region and conduct study on expanding cross-border trade movement and routes and developing a regional logistics services network.

Workshop talks NCD prevention, control

Representatives of ministries, sectors, hospitals and international organisations gathered at a workshop held in Hanoi on May 14 to seek methods to prevent and control non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Representatives from Vietnam’s National Cancer Hospital (K Hospital), Bach Mai Hospital and the National Hospital of Endocrinology briefed participants on the current NCD situation in Vietnam, international experience and recommendations of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

They also suggested effective approaches for NCD prevention and control, highlighting the inclusion of NCD-related healthcare in primary service providers.

Scientific studies revealed major risk determinants, include smoking, alcohol abuse, unhealthy eating habits and lack of physical activity.

Director of the K Hospital Bui Dieu cited surveys in the community saying that only 35 percent of those interviewed had basic understandings of cancer; 67.2 percent said all cancers are fatal.

He also suggested developing a strategy for cancer prevention and control from 2016 onwards, and making use of the available resources to enhance NCD early detection, treatment and care to improve the quality of life for patients with NCDs.

The National Strategy for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) for 2015-2020 aims to manage the progression of the diseases and reduce NCD-related early fatality and disability.

The strategy also points to measures to strengthen the enforcement of legal frameworks, relevant policies, expand publicity campaigns and improve healthcare service quality and supervision.

Non-communicable diseases—such as high-blood pressure, pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, diabetes and cancer—account for two-thirds of the total disease incidence and health-related mortality in Vietnam.

Vietnam currently has 12.5 million people with high blood pressure, 2.5 million diabetics and more than 2 million others suffering from COPD and asthma.

About 125,000 new cases of cancer are detected every year, according to the Ministry of Health’s Preventive Medicine Department.

In 2012, there were 520,000 health-related deaths including more than 379,000 caused by NCDs, mostly cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and COPD. In other words, seven in every 10 health-related deaths were from non-infectious diseases.

NCD treatment can cost 40-50 times more than communicable disease treatment, requiring advanced technology, expensive medicine and prolonged treatment.

Vietnam sees increased incidences of malaria

Malaria hospitalisations are on the rise nationwide, particularly in the south, revealed the General Department of Preventative Medicine under the Ministry of Health on May 14.

There are four major types of the virus in Vietnam and one can suffer from more than one type simultaneously, the department stated.

Immigration, poor sanitation and the habit of storing water in tanks across the country, especially rural areas, has long created favourable conditions for malaria, medical establishments said.

The Ho Chi Minh City Centre for Preventative Medicine reported 3,855 cases of malaria in May, a significant increase from last year. As the rainy season quickly approaches, the city faces the risk of a malaria outbreak.

According to the World Health Organisation, 390 million people are infected with the disease each year, including 500,000 severe cases requiring hospitalisation. Scientists are still seeking vaccines and curative medicines.

This year, the disease outbreaks have been increasingly spotted in such countries as Singapore, Japan and Malaysia.-

Mixed measles-rubella vaccine to be administered nationwide

The Ministry of Health (MOH) has approved a new recommended schedule of the National Expanded Programme on Immunisation, in which the second measles shot given to children aged 18 months old will be replaced by a measles-rubella vaccine.

On May 13, the General Department of Preventive Medicine at the MOH said that the measles-rubella vaccine, developed by the Serum Institute, is supplied by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) with financial support of the Vaccine Alliance (GAVI).

According to the General Department of Preventive Medicine, the measles-rubella immunisation campaign for children aged 1-14 years old nationwide—the biggest of its kind—started in mid-September last year to prevent measles outbreaks in the country.

More than 19 million children have been vaccinated against these diseases and over 50 cities and provinces have completed the campaign, which aims to have at least 95 percent of children receive measles vaccination.

Medical experts gather in gynaecology conference

The 15th Vietnam-France-Asia-Pacific Conference on Obstetrics and Gynaecology took place in Ho Chi Minh City on May 14-15, focusing on a number of specialised issues such as prenatal diagnosis and newborn screenings.

Domestic medical experts together with their foreign peers from France, Italy, Brazil, Ireland and Canada presented more than 40 scientific reports on debated issues in the field.

Representatives from the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics also participated in the event.

Le Quang Thanh, Director of the city’s Tu Du Hospital, said the hospital has successfully applied global diagnostic and treatment techniques, helping improve the professional skills of health workers and better serving patients.

The annual conference started in 2000 and has become an important medical event in the south with the participation of nearly 2,000 leading domestic and foreign professors, doctors and experts in the field.

The 15 conferences have received nearly 1,000 reports on the latest scientific research on reproduction support, obstetrical and gynaecological screening and diagnosis, cancer treatment, stem cell banks, and cosmetic surgery.

Vietnam starts works to upgrade clinic in Truong Sa (Spratlys)

Works to upgrade Truong Sa (Spratly) Town Clinic in Vietnam’s Truong Sa archipelago in the East Vietnam Sea has been initiated recently.

The clinic is located in Truong Sa Town of the islands, which serve as a district under the administration of the south-central Vietnamese province of Khanh Hoa.

The clinic upgrade is done with the coordination between Tuoi Tre(Youth) newspaper, the Hospital 175, and the People’s Committee of Truong Sa Town.

Tang Huu Phong, Tuoi Tre editor-in-chief, handed to local authorities VND20 billion (US$919,000), donated by his newspaper’s readers, for the upgrade at a recent ceremony.

“The upgrade of the clinic is a small piece of work done by Tuoi Tre readers to show gratitude to those soldiers and people who are protecting a part of our country’s territory amid the open sea,” Phong said.

The upgrade is among many activities that have been carried out by Tuoi Tre since it launched a program that calls on everyone to contribute to the protection of Vietnam’s sovereignty in the East Vietnam Sea on May 10, 2014, the editor-in-chief added.

To date, the program has received a total of over VND55 billion (US$2.52 million) from the newspaper’s readers at home and abroad.

Than Thi Thu, head of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee’s Commission for Propaganda and Education, said, “Truong Sa and Hoang Sa (Paracels) [another archipelago under Vietnam’s sovereignty in the East Vietnam Sea] are two sacred names in the heart and mind of every one of us. Today, we are very happy to be present in this loved and sacred land to share a significant piece of work: giving a start to the upgrade of Truong Sa Town Clinic.”

In recent years, Truong Sa Town Clinic has successfully treated hundreds of patients, said Dr. Nguyen Hong Son, director of the Hospital 175, which offers professional assistance the clinic.

More enterprises hire employees with disabilities

More companies in HCM City and southern provinces are hiring employees with disabilities because of their high productivity and diligence, according to HCM City-based Disability Research and Capacity Development Centre.

Le Huu Thuong, the centre's jobs consultant, said that an average of 40 enterprises each year over the last five years had sent orders to the centre to hire people with disabilities.

Thuong said that manual workers were needed in the field of textiles and craft, and skilled employees in the fields of IT, accountancy and design.

"Most skilled employees with disabilities are hired by foreign-invested companies," Thuong added.

Enablecode Software Company, a subsidiary of Hoang Anh Consulting and Services Co. Ltd, in District 3 gives priority to hire programmers with disabilities.

"They can work at home," said Nguyen Minh Hao, the company's project manager.

Dong Nai-based Fashion Garment Co. Ltd, a subsidiary of the Hirdaramani Group in Sri Lanka and Lolly Togs Apparel USA, is known as one of the companies that have hired employees with disabilities.

The company has 85 employees with disabilities, said Nguyen Tran Quynh Anh, who is in charge of personnel.

"They are diligent and loyal," Anh said, adding that many of them had worked with the company for about six years.

Silva G.A. Dineshk, the company's production plant manager, said that workers were provided training and appropriate facilities.

People with disabilities can develop their career as long as they are strong enough to overcome challenges, he said.

Phan Thanh Tam, head of Fagi Co. Ltd, which manufactures products for children in District 12, said that people with disabilities who graduate from universities or colleges were able to find jobs more easily.

Tam, who has a physical disability, for example, was hired right after graduating from the HCM City University of Fine Arts.

Now, she has her own company which gives priority to hire people with disabilities, she said.

According to the Vietnam Federation on Disability, the country has 6.7 million people with disabilities, including more than 4 million people of working age.

However, only 30% of them have jobs.

Tran Quynh Trang, who is in charge of a project on promoting rights and opportunities for people with disabilities for the International Labour Organisation, said that people with disabilities were an untapped resource of skills and talent.

They not only have both technical job skills and transferable problem-solving skills developed in daily life, but represent an overlooked and multibillion-dollar market segment composed of themselves, their families and friends.

As the population ages, so does the incidence of disability. Trang said it made sense to have employees who know first-hand about the product and service needs of this consumer segment.

According to a University of Massachusetts survey, 92% of the American public view companies that hire people with disabilities more favourably than those that do not.

6,000 young doctors offer free medical treatment, eye operation to the poor

Around 6,000 young physicians joined a national campaign to offer free medical examinations and medicine to around 1,000 poor people in all 63 provinces and cities of Vietnam starting on May 17 to mark Uncle Ho’s birthday anniversary.

The news was released at a press brief in Hanoi on May 13. This year the annual campaign, organized by the Vietnam Youth’s Union and the Young Physician Association, is entitled “Young doctors follow Uncle Ho’s word to volunteer for the community’s health”.

The campaign starting with gratis treatment and examination for one million people in the country was jointly-launched by the Ministry of Health, General Department of Politics under the Vietnam People's Army, the Central Red Cross Society and the Young Physician Association.

Chairman of the Young Physician Association Tran Van Thuan said that the campaign will provide examination, treatment, medical consultation.

In addition, the campaign’s organizers will give presents to needy people, teach people about the prevention of breast and cervical cancer, perform free eye surgeries to elderly people, provide training sessions for emergency aid to 5,000 teachers from 700 kindergartens and primary schools nationwide and provide nutrition knowledge to parents as well as teach children how to properly wash their hands with soap before meals.

The campaign also encourages young people to donate their blood with the target to collect 13,000 blood units.

VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/TT/TN/Dantri