HCM City hospital gets new tech

Hùng Vương Obstetrics Hospital in HCM City on Wednesday got a digital mammography machine, the first public hospital in the city to use one, a top city health official said.

Tăng Chí Thượng, deputy director of the Department of Health, said the modern machine would make improve diagnosis and make it safer, and enhance the quality of treatment.

Breast cancer is one of the most common diseases treated at the city’s Oncology Hospital, he said.

Obstetrics hospitals should set up departments to treat breast cancer to reduce the huge overload on the Oncology Hospital, he added.

The advantages of digital mammography are that digital images can be manipulated for a better view and digital mammograms deliver smaller amounts of radiation than film-screen mammograms do, Lê Thị Quỳnh Hà, head of Hùng Vương’s diagnostic imaging department, said.

With digital mammography, the images are recorded directly in a computer and can be transmitted electronically to other hospitals, she said.

Mammography is the most common screening test for breast cancer, Hoàng Thị Diễm Tuyết, the hospital’s director, said.

A mammogram can detect breast cancer in 90 per cent of women with the disease if they are aged more than 50, Tuyết said

In Việt Nam, around 15,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, she said.

More than 90 per cent diagnosed at the earliest stage survive for more than five years, she added.

Vietnamese students learn Korea-style soft skills

More than 1,000 Hanoi college and university students gathered at a meeting on March 30-31 to listen to specialists from the Republic of Korea (ROK) addressing current youth problems like gambling, drug and alcohol abuse and how to solve them, and to develop future leaders.

The event is part of activities to mark the 25th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties within the framework of the ROK’s International Youth Fellowship (IYF) World Camp 2017.

At the opening ceremony, Nguyen Phu Binh, former Deputy Foreign Minister and the first Vietnamese Ambassador to the ROK, expressed his delight at the sound development of bilateral friendship and cooperation ties over the past 25 years.

He said young people face a number of problems in their life. Many of them lost their sense of living purposes and fell into wrong directions. He hoped that the IYF will help them lead a healthy life and contribute to the building of the community, the nation and a better world.

The founder of IYF, Mr. Park Ock Soo said IYF WORLD CAMP offers Vietnamese youth an opportunity to share ideas with foreign students and listen to valuable experience from domestic and foreign specialists on tackling personal problems.

 Mr Soon revealed that the IYF has signed an agreement with the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) to implement a US$150,000 project in Hanoi, Danang, and Ho Chi Minh cities in three years.

The project supports Vietnamese youth in increasing their life skills and competence, as well as creating a healthy environment for them to prove their ability and practice the acquired skills.

Young shrimps, fish released for aquatic resources

A great deal of young shrimps and fish were released into sea and river on March 31 in different provinces across Vietnam to regenerate aquatic resources.

Over one million shrimps were released into sea at Ninh Chu fishing port in Ninh Hai District, the south central province of Ninh Thuan, while the central province of Thanh Hoa set free one tonne of fry into Ma River. The Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh released about 1.4 million young shrimps, crabs and fry into the wild.

The move aims to provide more supplements for aquatic resources while celebrating 58th anniversary of the Vietnam Fisheries Day (April 1, 1959 – April 1, 2017) and Action Month for protecting coastal aquatic resources (running through May 15). 

It also aimed to raise public awareness of legal regulations on aquatic resources and the role of resources preservation for sustainable fisheries.

Many measures have been applied to protect and develop aquatic stocks such as using appropriate fishing nets and not using explosive and electrical impulses, among others.

Customs sector uncovers nearly 2,600 violation cases

Nearly 2,600 cases of violation had been handled as of March 15 by the customs sector, with the total goods value of 66 billion VND (2.9 million USD), according to the General Department of Vietnam Customs.

As many as 32.4 billion VND (1.42 million USD) were collected to the State budget.

Most outstanding cases were related to drug smuggling, including the seizure of 1 kg of methamphetamine and 16,000 synthetic drug pills on March 1, the detection of 351 cartons of dried leaves suspected to be Khat leaves – one type of stimulant – weighing around 2.8 tonnes on March 20, and the seizure of 8.59 kg of synthetic drugs one day later.

Customs officers detected a consignment including 13,900 kg of horse skins and 482.2 kg of dried sea horses.

They also seized two suitcases containing 102 kg of rhino horns.

VNA sends photos to exhibition in France

Forty black & white, and colour photos depicting the Vietnam Embassy headquarters in France captured by Vietnam News Agency reporters have been sent to an exhibition marking 40-year existence of the historical building.

The photos feature those taken on April 29 in 1977 when the late Prime Minister Pham Van Dong inaugurated the embassy building on 62 Boileau Street, 16th district, in Paris.

At a ceremony on March 30, Vietnamese Ambassador to France Nguyen Ngoc Son praised the VNA for promptly providing the photos in service of the embassy’s exhibition.

The diplomat emphasized the historical meaning of building, calling it a symbol of national unity and reconciliation.

The embassy headquarters moved to a new location on 61 Miromesnil, 8th district in May 2014. However, conference and reception rooms of the old building on Boileau Street are still used for important diplomatic activities.

The exhibition, which is scheduled to open on April 28, will also display photos provided by Vietnamese expatriates in the county.

Feedback sought for Ho Chi Minh City airport expansion plan

Vietnam’s Ministry of Transport is seeking feedback on a plan to expand Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City.

Following a mandate from the central government, the transport ministry has called on relevant agencies to review and evaluate the plan for Tan Son Nhat.

The scheme is estimated to cost over VND19.35 trillion (US$831 million) and is within the framework of the government's goals set for the year 2020, with a vision until 2030.

According to the proposition, the airfield’s current runway system will be unchanged by the plan and a new lane will be added to the existing line-up.

Two quick exit paths will also be built between the current runways, while extra taxiways will be added to facilitate aircraft movement.

The current airport apron will be expanded to an area covering 19,97 hectares currently managed by the Ministry of National Defense.

Another apron will be constructed in front of a soon to be built bimodal terminal that will expand Tan Son Nhat’s housing capacity from 83 aircraft to 89 aircraft.

The construction of the new bimodal terminal will also contribute to their goal of increasing the airdrome’s current capacity of 28 million passengers a year.

The Ministry of Transport is still considering two possible approaches to meet their vision for Tan Son Nhat.

The first plan suggests adding two new terminals, each with an annual capacity of 10 million passengers that would allow the airport to welcome 45 to 48 million travelers per year.

Meanwhile, the second plan includes only one bimodal terminal that would accommodate 15 million passengers per year, raising the airport’s annual capacity to 43 to 45 million passengers.

The long term outlook for Tan Son Nhat includes the expected expansion of the airport from 574.4 hectares to 628.9 hectares by 2030.

Danang orders removal of illegally built constructions on Son Tra Peninsula

Authorities in the central Vietnamese city of Da Nang are requiring a local firm to dismantle a resort project that had been built without proper permits on Son Tra Peninsula.

The municipal Party Committee on March 29 announced the official decision, applying it to all local projects in violation of construction laws, including the Bien Tien Sa eco-resort.

The eco-resort was developed by Bien Tien Sa JSC on Son Tra Peninsula, an area known for its untouched beauty and natural forest used to shield the city from typhoons, sustain eco-tourism growth, and provide for the national defense.     

The decision means that the Danang People’s Committee will be tasked with ordering the company to completely dismantle several structures on the site, including the foundation of 40 villas that do not meet regulations.

The responsibility of certain government officials charged with managing the area will also be considered alongside the violation, given their oversight that led to the offense.

The villa-mansions were found being built without formal permission in mid-March, forcing the developer to cease construction and be levied with a VND40 million (US$1,765) fine.

The city’s Party Committee submitted a report to the central government, calling on competent authorities to review all legal procedures and paperwork regarding the Bien Tien Sa project to ensure it poses no threat to the local eco-system.

The committee also pushed for an assessment of the tourism development plan for Son Tra so that necessary adjustments can be made to avoid adverse effects on the environment, natural beauty, security functions, and defense of the peninsula.

Aside from the eco-resort, measures against the Central Coast Condotel, developed by Minh Dong Tourism Service and Trading Company, which has so far had nine floors constructed without a permit, will also be reviewed.

The municipal People’s Committee was tasked with creating a full report of the case, based on which a suitable penalty will be decided.

Tourists pay for garbage clean-up ‘tour’ on Hoi An river

For US$10, visitors to Hoi An City in central Vietnam can kayak along the city’s Hoai River on a mission to collect rubbish.

One day at a small wharf in Cam Thanh Commune, Hoi An City in Quang Nam Province, a group of nearly 30 tourists, mainly foreigners, just arrived to embark on a kayak ‘tour’ to collect trash from the Hoai River.

In teams of two, the eager tourists boarded 15 kayaks and set off in the brilliant sunshine, armed with garbage bags and trash hauling nets.

Julia and Ludwaj, two friends from the UK, sped to the front of the group. While Ludwaj steered the kayak, Julia weaved her net across the river’s surface, indiscriminately collecting garbage of all shapes and sizes.

Wiping sweat off her face, Julia said it had never occurred to her that she would one day pay to collect trash while riding a kayak, though it would be one of her most memorable experiences in Vietnam.

Further back were Céline, a 35-year-old French national, and a friend, who refused to leave any litter in their wake as they searched for garbage along the river’s edge.

Empty bottles, straws, and plastic bags concealed behind thick bushes now filled their bags.

This is not the first time Céline has collected trash on the river. Since the tour’s launch six weeks ago, she has participated every weekend.

Since moving to Hoi An nearly a year ago, Céline has started a local ‘clean vegetables’ project and is no stranger to similar trash-picking excursions at the local An Bang and Cua Dai beaches.

Four hours and nine kilometers later, the group finally made it downstream and parked their kayaks at a wharf near the Japanese Covered Bridge (Chua Cau) in Hoi An Ancient Town, a picturesque conclusion to their meaningful journey.

According to Nguyen Van Long, CEO of Hoi An Kayak Tours which organizes the trash-picking trip, the tour’s inspiration came from a ride along the Hoai River when he noticed how badly the river was polluted.

“My tour-takers and I are all happy to see that the river is getting cleaner and cleaner each day,” Long said. “I think cleanliness is a must for any city that wishes to become eco-friendly.”

Nguyen Van Son, deputy chairman of Hoi An City, said such “environmentally-minded” tours are a great contribution to realizing Hoi An’s dream of becoming an eco-city.

 “We always encourage individuals and organizations to come up with new ideas to combine with saving the environment,” Son said.

Ha Long Bay getting free wi-fi, security cameras

Quảng Ninh Province has started to instal free wi-fi coverage and security cameras around the popular Hạ Long Bay.

The cameras will beam live images around the clock from 17 places around the bay to the mainland.

The wi-fi would also be accessible at these 17 locations to keep tourists updated on news and entertainment in the town, officials said.

Iy is already available at Thiên Dung and Đầu Gỗ caves and Titop Island.

Vietnamese students in RoK hold sixth congress

The Vietnamese Students’ Association in the Republic of Korea (VSAK) held its sixth congress in Seoul on April 2 to review its work from 2015-2017 and plan for the next three years.

The congress also marked the 25th anniversary of Vietnam – RoK diplomatic relations, with Vietnamese Ambassador to the RoK Nguyen Vu Tu attending.

VSAK President Pham Hai Chien gave an overview of Vietnamese youth activities and campaigns in the RoK over the past three years.

Vietnamese students have had thousands of pieces of field research and articles published in the host country, he said, also applauding their role in local cultural and sports events as well as international exchanges.

They have also protested China’s illegal activities in the East Sea, raised funds for Vietnam’s sea and island sovereignty and many volunteered to assist people in need, Hai added.

He noted that the association will maintain great academic performance and increase sports and cultural activities.

In addition, it will hold workshops and photo exhibitions on the East Sea and reform its structure.

During the congress, 25 students were voted to the association’s executive board for 2017-2019 to represent more than 8,000 Vietnamese students in the RoK.

Pham Hai Chien was re-elected as VSAK President.

At festival, children make art against sexual abuse

Dozens of children joined a painting festival aiming to prevent childhood sexual abuse, held on Sunday by the Central Council for the Young Pioneers in Hà Nội.

In their pictures, the children expressed different ways they can prevent sexual abuse and call for the community to join hands in protecting children.

They also studied knowledge and skills to prevent and control children sexual abuse.

While attending the event, Đào Hồng Lan, Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and deputy chairwoman of the council, praised the festival’s efforts.

The ministry, with approval from the Government, has set up the phone number 18001567 as the national hotline for protecting children.

The ministry sent letters to provincial and municipal departments of labour, invalids and social affairs to ask for co-oporation in protecting youth from harm, she said. 

Urban project suspended in Đà Nẵng

The central city’s Department of Construction has suspended construction of the coastal international Đa Phước urban project in downtown Hải Châu District due to an incomplete environmental assessment report.

The department said the project, which was formerly invested by Korean Daewon Cantavil, had been transferred to a new local investor – Novaland, or Sunrise Bay – for a new urban development on 175.9ha on coastal Nguyễn Tất Thành Street.

It said the project was granted a construction licence for infrastructure in the first stage on 46.6ha in January, but the project’s investor has yet to complete the assessment of environmental impacts and fire prevention measures required by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

The department said the project intentionally began to dig wastewater discharge channels.

According to the announcement, the department also suspended the construction of the project’s sea embankment for investigation of material used for the project.

The project was delayed from 2008 and eventually transferred from Korea’s Daewon Cantavil to Novaland with total value of US$250 million, according to an official source.

Last week, the city also suspended two big projects – the Biển Tiên Sa villa project and the 43-storey Central Coast condotel project – for illegal construction.

The city also fined the two illegal construction projects with a cash of VNĐ40 million (US$1,800) each.

In a meeting last week, the city’s party also blamed the chief inspection under the department, Trần Văn Dũng, and some officials of the Sơn Trà District’s People’s Committee for poor management and control of illegal construction projects.

HAGL beat Quảng Nam at V.League

Hoàng Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) defeated Quảng Nam 1-0 in the 11th round of the V.League 1 at the Pleiku Stadium on Sunday.

Taking full advantage of playing on the home turf, HAGL competed confidently, creating repeated chances to score goals from the first minutes of the match.

HAGL fielded many young and skilful players, threatening Quảng Nam’s with shots by Văn Thanh, Châu Ngọc Quang and Nguyễn Công Phượng.
However, no goals were made in the first half.
After the break, the hosts continued their attack. Quang opened the score for the hosts in the 51st minute.
Quảng Nam also tried their best to level the score, but they failed.
With this result, the hosts HAGL maintained their 11th place ranking, while Quảng Nam also maintained their third position.
At the Lạch Tray Stadium in the northern port city of Hải Phòng, Hải Phòng tied 1-1 with Sông Lam Nghệ An.
Striker Steven opened the score for the hosts in the 10th minute, while Nghệ An’s Văn Đức levelled the score after 13 minutes.
In other matches played yesterday, Khánh Hòa bested Đà Nẵng 1-0 and Bình Dương crushed HCM City 1-0.
Elsewhere, Sài Gòn defeated Đồng Tâm Long An 4-0.

Vietjet offers one million promotional tickets in celebration of April

In a move to welcome the start of the summer season, Vietjet has announced the start of three golden days, in which one million promotional tickets will be on sale, priced from as low as zero dollars, at www.vietjetair.com.

The promotion, which is available on all domestic routes, continues Monday through Wednesday from noon to 2pm. Tickets may be used from May 1 to December 20.

Payment can be made with debit and credit cards, including Visa, MasterCard, JCB, KCP and American Express, as well as ATM cards issued by 29 banks in Viet Nam that have been registered for internet banking.

“To prepare for coming trips this summer, April is the best time for travellers to “hunt” for affordable tickets,” the airline said.

With promotional tickets good throughout the year, Vietjet is expected to offer its passengers with a memorable and exciting travel season.

Workers hospitalized in suspected mass food poisoning in Vietnam

Scores of workers at a Korean-invested electronics factory in north-central Vietnam have been hospitalized with symptoms including vomiting, nausea and fainting after having lunch in the canteen on April 1.

Ten ambulances were mobilized to the factory of BSE Vietnam Electronics at Nam Cam Industrial Zone in Nghi Loc District, Nghe An Province to transfer the ill workers to the Nghe An 115 General Hospital.

According to Ho Duc Manh, emergency doctor at the hospital, a total of 37 workers were hospitalized with symptoms of food poisoning such as vomiting and low blood pressure.

None of the hospitalized workers are in a critical condition, Manh said, adding that doctors are giving them infusions and closely monitoring their health.

The provincial food safety bureau and leaders of Nghi Loc District have visited the factory of BSE Vietnam Electronics and the workers to look into the cause of their condition.

According to the sick workers, they had rice with stir-fried meat and crown daisy soup with tofu for lunch on April 1, and the symptoms occurred shortly after lunchtime.

BSE Vietnam Electronics is a Korean-invested company specializing in manufacturing electronic components and equipment for telecommunication.

The company has been in operation at Nam Cam Industrial Zone since June 2012.

Cyclists turned down by HCM City parking lot attendants

It has been increasingly difficult for people in Ho Chi Minh City to find parking space for their bicycles as many parking lots have been turning their back on cyclists.

Most of these parking venues are privately owned.  

On April 1, Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters traveled on their bikes to a parking lot on the sidewalk corner of Le Duan and Ton Duc Thang Streets in Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, which is managed by TVT, a private parking service company.

Despite having several empty slots, attendants at the venue refused to take in the bicycles.

According to T., a local motorbike taxi driver, the parking lot only offers service to motorcyclists.

At another place on Ly Tu Trong Street in the same District, about 500 meters away, a similar situation could also be observed.

Despite stating that they would only park their bikes for 30 minutes and that they would pay the same cost as motorbikes, the reporters were still turned down by the parking attendants.

It has been quite a challenge to find a parking slot for bicycles in the southern city these days, especially in downtown areas, where searching for a motorbike park is already a difficulty.

L.V.H., living in District 10, who often cycles to the city center, said that it was hard to keep such a habit due to the situation.

According to Vo Quoc Hung, vice-chairman of the People’s Committee in Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, about 200 parking lots have been registered in the neighborhood.

There is no regulation stating that they can only offer service to motorcycles, Hung said.

Local officers will be tasked with reminding these facilities to remove the groundless ban on bicycles, the official continued.

“We will convene a meeting with operators of these parking lots to discuss the problem,” Hung added.

Tran The Thuan, chairman of the administration in District 1, asserted that all parking venues must receive all two-wheeled vehicles, including bicycles.

Local authorities have been encouraging citizens to cycle in a bid to protect the environment, Thuan continued.

“The operators of these parking lots have only focused on their profit. We will carry out an inspection and solve the issue,” the chairman said.

Vietnam-Australia Executive Education and Training Showcase

The Vietnam-Australia Executive Education and Training Showcase is set to get underway in Vietnam for the first time with the participation of fifteen leading Australian universities and executive training providers.

The showcase is organised by the Australian Government, in collaboration with the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), the Vietnam Human Resources Club, and CPA Australia and Human Resources Association.

During the event to be held in Hanoi on April 4 and HCM City on April 5, the institutions will demonstrate their expertise and excellence in executive education and training for middle managers and future leaders.

They will also discuss potential institutional linkages, commercial partnerships, and collaboration with the aim of enhancing the capacity of future leaders.

A presentation by Austrade’s Chief Economist on “Building human capital to meet the challenges of a world economy in transition” will be included.

Additionally, there will be two panel discussions: “Training for a more competitive Vietnam, increasing productivity and innovation” and “Developing managers and future leaders in the digital age”. 

The showcase will be followed by one-on-one meetings between the Australian and Vietnamese representatives from ministries, provincial departments, universities, training organisations and business organisations.

The event aims to support Vietnam in addressing some of the challenges in aligning with the recent World Bank’s Vietnam 2035 report “Toward Prosperity, Creativity, Equity and Democracy” and VCCI’s report “Vietnam in Transition: Skills and Productivity in the Labour Market”. 

It will be opened by Keith Pitt, Australia’s assistant minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, during his visit to Vietnam.

Australian universities and training providers have a strong reputation around the world and this showcase will bring them face to face with the Vietnamese Government, businesses and multinational corporations to discuss new opportunities.

The Australian training providers can offer tailored training courses to these organisations in order to build their executive workforce to address specific gaps in management, leadership and planning, he said.

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