Hoi An to try out first bus route

The city of Hoi An will begin the first trial of a public bus route connecting major destinations; An Bang and Cua Dai beach, the old quarter and Tra Que vegetable garden, on February 26-27.

It's the first bus route to be operated in the inner city.

The city's Action Centre said the bus route will start from Nguyen Hue street, near Hoi An market and pass streets including Hai Ba Trung, Tran Hung Dao, Lac Long Quan and Cua Dai.

The centre said eight 16-seat vans will be used in the first trial of the route with free tickets available at tourism information desks, hotels, resorts and home-stays.

Buses will run every 15 minutes from 8am till 9pm every day.

The second trial will take place in September and next February before officially launching in 2017.

The public bus route is sponsored by the Japan Fund for Global environment.

The city also hopes to become the first environmentally friendly city in Viet Nam by boosting the use of bicycles. A Car Free Day is also planned.

The UNESCO-recognised world heritage city started using solar power public lighting systems at the city's Hoai River Square and Cham Islands from 2013.

Human trafficking hotline a success

The youth disseminates information and knowledge on human trafficking prevention in southern An Giang Province. Almost 5,000 calls related to human trafficking have been received by an anti-human trafficking hotline sponsored by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) over the last three years. — Photo laodong.com.vn

Almost 5,000 calls related to human trafficking have been received by an anti-human trafficking hotline sponsored by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) over the last three years.

The announcement was made at a conference reviewing the implementation of the anti-human trafficking hotline development project from 2012-2016. The conference was held by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA)'s Department of Child Care and Protection and by JICA yesterday in Ha Noi.

The project was implemented from July 2012 to March 2016 in Ha Noi City, as well as in southern An Giang and northern Ha Giang Provinces.

MoLISA discussed a proposal to continue phase two of the project from 2016 to 2019, according to the Head of the Department of Child Care and Protection (DCCP), Dang Hoa Nam.

Viet Nam wants JICA to continue its support for the project. Major goals include the sustainable development of the hotline, as well as help for Viet Nam to collaborate with other countries in Southeast Asian and the Mekong Delta region in the fight against human trafficking, said Nam.

Naoki Kakioka, Vice Chief Representative of JICA Viet Nam hailed the collaboration among departments and agencies in operating the hotline.

JICA said they would follow the project more closely, now that phase 1 is completed, and would continue to support Viet Nam in the upcoming time, according to Naoki Kakioka.

After three years of implementation, the project helped to create a collaboration network among relevant agencies in localities where the project was implemented, a hotline where information related to human trafficking was collected and consultant services to victims and family members was provided, said Deputy Head of DCCP's Communication Service and Consultant Centre, Nguyen Cong Hieu.

The ongoing anti-human trafficking project has also enhanced call center and consultant staff capability, as well as raising local awareness of human trafficking, Hieu said.

Software problems plague toll station

Directorate for Road of Viet Nam (DRV) wants Vietracimex 8-BOT JSC, the investor and manager of Bac Thang Long–Noi Bai Toll Station, to deal with toll collection problems there.

In an inspection conducted from January 18 to 22, the authorities discovered that the monitoring software was not working. The types of vehicles, images, videos and other information such as licence plates and fees of vehicles passing through the station had not been identified and stored.

"Due to the software problems, there is no data at the station for authorities to monitor," Nguyen Xuan Cuong, vice-general director of the DRV, said.

The Directorate asked Vietracimex 8-BOT JSC to deal with the problem and to report the results to the directorate before March 15.

The station is used by Vietracimex 8-BOT JSC to collect toll to recover its capital for building a road section of National Highway 2 over 16 years, 10 months and 11 days, beginning from January 2011.

The 11km road section was constructed with an investment of more than VND500 billion (more than US$22.3 million) under a BOT model and opened to traffic from December 2010.

The 23m-wide road has four motor vehicle lanes and two mixed lanes.

100bn dong hospital develops cracks before inauguration

Cracks and subsidence have already appeared at the 100-bed general hospital in the southern province of An Giang's Chau Thanh District even before its inauguration.

"The hospital has two floors, but cracks began to appear in the walls on the first floor since the end of last year," Tu Quoc Tuan, Director of Health Department in An Giang province, said.

Two out of the ten different spots on the wall drilled by the authorities had collapsed because the concrete was not as hard as had been specified in the design, he added.

Besides, the hospital's basement has subsided in some places.

The hospital construction started in October 2009 in an area of nearly five hectares with an investment of VND111 billion (US$4.96 million).

It consists of construction sites, and includes areas where patients are examined and treated, administrative rooms, emergency wards, and so on.

Most of the work has been completed by four construction companies and it was waiting to be put to use as the problems begun occurring.

"The authorities are investigating the case. When the causes are identified, those who are behind it must take responsibility and deal with the consequences," Tuan said.

Notaries urged to quicken work on housing projects

The Viet Nam Real Estate Association and the State Bank of Viet Nam will ask the Ministry of Justice to instruct notary offices to speed up notarising of documents used as guarantees for housing projects.

This move comes after numerous notary offices and land-use registration agencies refused to notarise related documents to be given as security for housing projects in late 2015.

These offices said the main reason was the lack of guidance from the ministry, according to the HCM City Real Estate Association.

If these documents were not notarised, commercial banks could not provide credits for customers, resulting in a standstill in the property market, the association said.

Particularly, it slowed down disbursement of the VND30 trillion (US$1.33 billion) preferential home loan package. Under the programme, people belonging to the low-income strata could take a loan to buy apartments costing less than VND1.05 billion ($47,000) at an annual interest rate of 5 per cent and for a period of 15 years.

The association and the State Bank of Viet Nam will also propose to the ministry that they soon issue guidelines on registering land-use rights and land-related property as security for housing projects to provide legal foundation for credit institutions and buyers to register.

PATH supports Vietnam’s tuberculosis control efforts

On February 24, PATH and international health care company Johnson & Johnson announced a new joint initiative called Breath for Life to strengthen tuberculosis (TB) prevention, detection, and treatment for children in Vietnam.

In partnership with the National Tuberculosis Control Program (NTP), the two-year project will be piloted in Nghe An, a province highly burdened with TB and HIV. By harnessing the capacity of the NTP and public and private health systems, Breath for Life presents a model that could potentially be replicated in other provinces.

TB is a significant cause of illness and death in children in many TB-endemic countries, with nearly 400 children losing their lives daily due to this disease.

“No one deserves to die from tuberculosis, especially children,” noted National Tuberculosis Control Program Director, Dr. Nguyen Viet Nhung, at the opening ceremony. “We must work together to end this epidemic.”

The project will focus on tackling a number of challenges in managing pediatric TB in Vietnam, including training health workers at all levels and realizing the potential for collaboration between the NTP and both public and private healthcare facilities.

“A key priority will be to ensure health workers have the skills and capabilities to detect, treat, and manage pediatric TB. In addition, we will strengthen links and set up referral systems between relevant public and private health facilities,” commented Dr. Kimberly Green, Project Director at PATH.

PATH has a long history supporting Vietnam tuberculosis control efforts, working with national and international partners to detect over 12,000 cases since 2008.

7,000 pellets of crystal meth seized in Vietnamese police raid

A drug mule has been caught smuggling 7,000 pellets of synthetic drugs in the central Vietnamese province of Quang Tri, police said.

The smuggler was later identified as Vu Van Duc, born 1989, who resides in Dong Ha, the capital city of Quang Tri.

Quang Tri police searched Duc’s car when he was on his way from Laos to Vietnam and found 7,000 pellets of crystal meth stashed inside the car’s front doors.

Crystal meth, or methamphetamine, is a strong central nervous system stimulant that is mainly used as a recreational drug, the use of which is illegal in most countries.

Police also found a hand grenade, pepper spray, and some instruments for drug use during the raid.

During a quick search at the suspect’s house later, police discovered a number of white arms, including 10 different types of bladed weapons and some bookkeeping documents on daily drug-dealing accounts.

Duc admitted to the crime in his testimony, saying he had bought the drugs from other sellers to re-distribute to drug addicts in Dong Ha.

In Vietnam, narcotics-related crimes are punishable by jail terms right up to the death penalty, depending on the amount of drugs involved and the severity of the crime.

Central coast promotion website kicked off

The Central Coast Vietnam Destination Marketing Organization has launched a website at www.centralcoastvietnam.com to promote tourism in Danang, Quang Nam and Thua Thien-Hue, which are among the major tourist destinations on the central coast, according to the Vietnam News Agency. The website now has the English version only, and the Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese versions will be made available soon.

The region is well known for its pristine beaches, natural attractions and national relics.

Advisory against mini electric cars issued

The Ministry of Transport has advised the public not to buy mini electric cars advertised on the Internet as those vehicles are not yet licensed for use in Vietnam.

The ministry said in a statement released last week that such cars are offered online at VND30-70 million per unit. They can travel at a maximum speed of 50-60 kilometers per hour and carry three or four passengers.

Mini electric cars have not been registered with Vietnam Register, so technically they are banned on the road. In addition, the Government’s Resolution 05/2008/NQ-CP prohibits the use of three-wheelers, except for those for the physically impaired.

New IP goes up in Thai Binh

Viglacera Corporation last week started work on phase one of Tien Hai Industrial Park covering 446 hectares in the northern province of Thai Binh.

The first phase covers nearly 32 hectares and cost over VND174 billion. It is slated to be up and running this September.

Tien Hai Industrial Park is in the heart of the northern region and the northern coastal economic development corridor. Therefore, it will be convenient for enterprises in terms of road and water transport, according to the developer.

Viglacera last week also put into operation its expanded granite tile factory in Thai Binh. The facility has an annual capacity of two million square meters of products.

Hanoi gets applications for NA deputies

The Hanoi Municipal Election Committee is accepting applications to run for the National Assembly (NA) and the Hanoi People’s Council of the 2016-2021 term until 5 p.m. on March 13.

Tuoi Tre newspaper cited the committee’s announcement, saying applications are submitted at the committee’s head office at 1 Hoang Dao Thuy Street, Hanoi in office hours.

Under a guiding document the council issued earlier, Hanoi will have 30 seats in the NA.

NZ funds trip for agribusiness executives

The Asia New Zealand Foundation and the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade will offer a chance to visit New Zealand to eight young Southeast Asian agribusiness entrepreneurs and business leaders on June 14-22.

With this week-long program, participants will have a better understanding of New Zealand’s renowned agricultural sector. The program is a part of the ASEAN Young Business Leaders Initiative intended to strengthen links between entrepreneurs and business leaders in Southeast Asia and New Zealand.

The deadline for application is April 1. Further information about the program is available at https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/media-and-resources/news/asean-young-business-leader-initiative/

Vietnam Air operates 9,200 flights at Tet

Vietnam Airlines operated 9,200 flights during the peak air travel season of the Lunar New Year holiday (Tet), from January 26 to February 18. On February 14, the number of flights was the highest with 482 flights.

According to the national flag carrier, 89% of the flights in the period were on time, up six points against the previous year. In addition, around 1.2 million passengers were transported between Hanoi and HCMC, and between Hanoi/HCMC and Danang.

Over 8,600 Vietnamese people sent to work abroad in Jan.

8,627 Vietnamese laborers including 3,308 women found out jobs in foreign countries in January, reaching 8.63 percent of the plan for 2016 and equivalent to 99.52 percent over the same period last year, reported the Center of Oversea Labor under the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs yesterday.

Taiwan (China) received most Vietnamese laborers with 5,362 people. Next are Japan with 2,019, Saudi Arabia with 129, South Korea with 68 and Macau with 32.

The Ministry signed a memorandum of understanding with South Korea upon receiving Vietnamese laborers under the Employment Permit System (EPS), signed agreements on labor cooperation with Thailand and Malaysia in 2015.

For highly skilled laborers, in addition to sending nurse to Japan, the Ministry also signed an agreement with Germany to provide nurses to take care German senior people.

Vietnam to have more 30,000 five-in-one vaccine dozes

Vietnamese Ministry of Health yesterday said that to meet increased demand of vaccine, additional 30,000 vaccine dozes will be imported into Vietnam in March.

The move is hoped to ease the shortage of vaccine in the northen provinces. Before, from December 2015 to February 2016, over 160,000 Pentaxim vaccine dozes were imported into the Southeast, causing the shortage of vaccine during one year.

The Ministry of Health said that in 2016, over 200,000 five-in-one Pentaxim vaccine and other vaccines will be imported into Vietnam to satisfy the increased demand of vaccination in the whole country.

Head of the Ministry’s Drug Administration of Vietnam Truong Quoc Cuong said that to ensure a stable vaccine supplier in 2016, the Administration has asked the departments of health across the country to report the quantity of vaccine.  

The administration also proposed departments of health nationwide to order medical facilities where administered vaccine shoot to report the demand of vaccine for the year to send to importers. Moreover, medical institutes should send forecast of vaccine demand each quarter so that the departments can summarize and report to the Ministry before February 29.

Basing on the reports, the Administration will ask suppliers to buy vaccine for 2016 and next years.

Pentaxim is a French-made type of paid vaccine which is meant to prevent five common, potentially fatal childhood diseases: diphtheria (D), tetanus (T), pertussis (P, whooping cough), hepatitis B (HepB), and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib).

Dr Tran Dong A praised for contribution to HCM City’s healthcare

Politburo member and Secretary the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Dinh La Thang on February 22 visited and congratulated Professor, Dr Tran Dong A on the occasion of Vietnam Physicians’ Day (February 27).

Politburo member Thang expressed his gratitude for the dedication of Dr A, former deputy director of the Children's Hospital 2, for the country's health sector in general and HCM City in particular.

He wished the professor good health to continue to contribute his talent and scientific works to the City’s healthcare and to the cause of medical human resources training.

Dr A suggested the City’s authorities form multiple specialties with more skilled practitioners. In addition, he proposed developing a family doctor model to address the root problem of the current overload at medical facilities.

As a skilled doctor, Dr A is well known both at home and abroad for a surgery to separate twins in 1988. Similar surgery had never been performed as one twin suffered cerebral palsy and they only had three feet.

Dr A has been honoured with the Labour Medal and the noble titles of People's Doctor and Labour Hero.

Responsible tourism in Delta areas promoted

The collaboration between An Giang, Kien Giang and Can Tho in the Mekong Delta for responsible tourism development was reviewed at a workshop held in Kien Giang province last Friday.

The event was organised with technical support from the EU - funded Environmentally and Socially Responsible Tourism Capacity Development (EU-ESRT) Programme.

At the opening session, a representative of the Kien Giang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism reviewed last year's outcomes.

A plan for responsible tourism this year, with a focus on the "National Tourism Year 2016 – Phu Quoc – Mekong Delta" and called "Discovery of the Southern Land" was tabled at the workshop by Kien Giang tourism authorities.

A spokesman for the EU-ESRT Programme spoke about the development of tourism products in the three Mekong provinces and demand for tourism workers and activities to support tourism destination management in 2016.

According to a report from the EU-ESRT Programme to support the Mekong provinces in sustainable development of responsible tourism in 2013 –15, it focused on establishing and putting into operation multi-component destination management organisation.

The support also included development of a public-private dialogue (PPD), enhancing the role of provincial tourism associations, development of responsible tourism products, promotion of regional destinations and providing training courses for capacity development.

For development of PPD, local tourism associations' participation in the working group, technical meetings of the standing committee, technical working groups and conferences and workshops on tourism development were encouraged and supported, according to the report.

National traffic safety committee launches Facebook page

The National Traffic Safety Committee has launched its Facebook page as a channel to raise people's awareness about traffic safety and to receive public feedback.

The committee's Vice-Chairman Khuat Viet Hung said the page has been working on a trial basis for a year during which many comments and suggestions were received from the public and experts in this field.

As a result, the committee decided to launch the page to boost communication between the committee and local residents.

Guidelines, policies and regulations related to traffic safety would be regularly introduced and updated on the page for the benefit of the local people, Hung said.

The page welcomed comments and recommendations from the people and experts, particularly those relating to measures to help reduce road accidents and congestion, he said.

Car speed revised in the capital

Vehicles will be allowed to run at a maximum speed of 90km per hour on Ring Road No 3 in Ha Noi from March 1, an official said.

Nguyen Van Huyen, general director of the Directorate for Roads of Viet Nam, said the DRVN had instructed Ha Noi's Department of Transport to raise the speed limit from 80km to 90km per hour from March following Circular 91/2015/TT-BGTVT, which includes regulations on speed and the distance to be maintained between vehicles.

Accordingly, cars, 30-seater coaches, excluding public buses and vehicles with a capacity of up to 3.5 tonnes will be allowed to run at a maximum speed of 90km per hour on two-way roads with a central divider.

There was no intersection on Ring Road No 3, so the proposal to increase the speed limit was reasonable, Huyen said.

Traffic jams occurred recently on the approach roads to Ring Road No 3 because the vehicles were being driven in the wrong lane, he said.

The DRVN has asked the municipal transport department to change the signboard systems on the road to boost traffic movement.

HCM City Party Committee Secretary meets Consuls General

Politburo member Dinh La Thang presented himself as new Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Party Committee before foreign Consuls General in Ho Chi Minh City at a reception on February 23.

He shared with the guests that leading HCM City, which is a leader in economy, culture, education, science and technology, and international integration, is an honor and a huge challenge for him.

He affirmed that municipal leading officials have aspirations to renew and are determined to take actions to actualise those aspirations.

Appreciating the role of as well as constructive contributions by consuls general to the city’s development and integration, he stressed city officials are willing to listen to viewpoints from Consuls General and work with foreign representative offices to create a fair, healthy and competitive business and investment environment for businesses.

HCM City is focusing on raising its competitiveness, maintaining socio-political stability, developing economy, culture, and manpower, and promoting social justice, to generate a driving force for national industrialisation and modernisation, Thang told his guests.

As curbing traffic congestion and incidents, flooding, and environmental pollution will be a priority in the future; the City will need assistance from diplomatic representative offices and from local and foreign businesses as well, Thang stressed.

He noted that the city places importance on international cooperation and wishes to step up its friendship and cooperation with localities globally to achieve prosperity.

On behalf of the consul delegation, Simon Van Der Burg, Consul General of the Netherlands congratulated Dinh La Thang on his new position and spoke of practical changes the city is having as a result of his prompt instructions.

Simon Van Der Burg pledged maximum assistance to the city in implementing its development plans, while expressing his hope for city officials’ continued support for foreign businesses operating in the City.

Over 1 million poor nationals receive rice support during Tet

Over 1 million poor people across the country were provided with rice support during the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival, deputy head of the General Department of State Reserves Le Van Thoi reported.

Speaking at a press conference in Hanoi on February 23, Thoi said his agency received requests from the authorities of 17 provinces nationwide, who asked the Government to provide over 17 million kg of rice from the nation’s storage for 1,145,182 people in need.

As of February 4, the department’s local chapters completed the allocation of rice in accordance with the requests, he added.

Regarding the policy to provide rice support for students in disadvantaged areas, Thoi said each student will receive 15 kg of rice per month within a maximum of 9 months/academic year.

In the first term of the 2015-2016 academic year, about 540,000 students from 48 provinces and cities nationwide were provided with rice support.

Thoi affirmed that the policy contributes to helping students from disadvantaged and ethnic minority areas keep their studies uninterrupted.

Bank helps snow-hit areas address consequences

The Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP) has disbursed over 2.5 trillion VND (112.5 million USD) to help locals address the aftermath of the extensive severe cold and snow in the northern and north-central regions in early 2016.

As of February 22, more than 7,300 households borrowed some 167 billion VND (7.5 million USD) from the VBSP, to deal with the damage which was calculated at over 6,900 dead cattle and 1,367 hectares of destroyed farmland.

Governors of the State Bank of Vietnam and the VBSP have directed relevant units to work with authorities and social-political organisations to support locals in the affected areas.

The VBSP also provided loan term extensions for borrowers suffering from the cold spell.

Accordingly, families with damage reported at between 40 and 80 percent will receive a three-year loan extension, while those with damage of above 80 percent will enjoy five-year loan extensions.

During the extended terms, the debtors will not be required to pay interest.

Hanoi to expand bus network in rural areas

Several new bus routes connecting downtown Hanoi with suburban districts will be put into operation between now and 2020, according to Nguyen Phi Thuong, head of the Hanoi Transportation Service JSC (Transerco).

The capital bus network will be extended to a large number of localities including Ba Vi, Quoc Oai, My Duc and Thach That and will help boost social-economic development in these rural areas, while reducing traffic jams in central Hanoi, Thuong said.

Many places in the suburbs, where rapid urbanisation is occurring in line with demand for public transport, still lack access to buses, he added.

A similar situation is also taking place in new urban areas, thus, new bus routes are set to cover Linh Dam, Van Phu, Cau Giay, Me Tri and My Dinh, among other locations in the next two years.

Meanwhile, Transerco will overhaul service quality, with some 2,000 bus stations upgraded.

In the past five years, the number of passengers using Transerco buses grew quickly, helping the company occupy around 88 percent of the capital’s public-transport market.

Room for bus service expansion in Hanoi remains extensive, as it currently caters to only 15 percent of local demand, which could increase to 50 percent in the future.

Festival to fete King Kinh Duong Vuong in full swing

Traditional rituals and a line-up of cultural activities are included in the Kinh Duong Vuong festival, which opened at the historical Kinh Duong Vuong-Lac Long Quan-Au Co temple and royal tomb complex in Thuan Thanh district, in the northern province of Bac Ninh on February 23.

The three-day festival aims to honour Kinh Duong Vuong - the first king of the Vietnamese people and founder of the Hong Bang Dynasty, uphold the nation’s cultural tradition and enhance solidarity among Vietnamese people.

On the same day, the National Archives Centre IV presented Thuan Thanh district with the Nguyen dynasty’s woodblock writings about Kinh Duong Vuong.

Kinh Duong Vuong ruled over Xich Quy in 2,879 B.C. Legend has it that Lac Long Quan (whose real name was Sung Lam), the son of Kinh Duong Vuong and Than Long Nu, married the fairy daughter of De Lai, Au Co. Au Co then gave birth to a pouch filled with one hundred eggs, which soon hatched into a hundred sons, believed to be Vietnam's ancestors. But soon thereafter, Lac Long Quan and Au Co separated. Lac Long Quan went to the coast with 50 of the children, while Au Co went to the highlands with the rest.

Their eldest son was made King, who named the country Van Lang and set up the capital in Phong Chau (nowadays Viet Tri City, in the northern midland province of Phu Tho), beginning the 18 reigns of the Hung Kings.

Kinh Duong Vuong temple and tomb complex was constructed on the southern bank of the Duong river. With significant historical and cultural values, the complex was recognised as a national historical and cultural relic site in 1993.

The province has splashed out nearly 500 billion VND (22.3 million USD) on restoring and preserving the complex.

InterContinental Nha Trang to host Culin’Art exhibition

The second Culin’Art exhibition of InterContinental Nha Trang will take place in early March, featuring stunning ethnicity images by popular French photographer Rehahn and a culinary journey with executive chef Dennis Barton.

The Culin’Art exhibition will continue to engage travelers with the beauty of Vietnam. The event will showcase the harmonious display of photographic and culinary arts which compose the diverse, colorful and exotic ingredients from around Vietnam from March 4 to April 15.

Over 24 artworks selected and printed by Hoi An-based photographer Rehahn will be exhibited at the hotel’s lobby. These photos are just a small part of his collection during his eight-year trip to different parts of Vietnam, bonding and capturing the soul of people, especially the minorities.

In conjunction with the artwork show, the Culin’Art in 2016 will introduce guests of Cookbook Café on the ground floor of the hotel a menu of 13 signature dishes created by executive chef Dennis Barton from Australia. The delicacies infusing the taste of world cuisine with exotic spices of Vietnam include Atlantic Smoked Salmon with Gia Lai Highlands Musk White Pepper, Nha Trang Calamari Fried with Doc Let Salt and Ha Giang Wild Pepper, and Roast Duck with Orange and Lang Son Fresh Star Anise, among others.

The culinary journey will be accompanied by a range of five different spirits from the makers of Son Tinh, considered an iconic Vietnamese liquor maker of international reputation.

Pascal Caubo, general manager of InterContinental Nha Trang, said in a statement that the Culin’Art is the hotel’s annual project to support destination and local community which clearly indicates the importance and effect of creative partnership between commercial organization and the art makers.

“We aim for every best result possible in the organization of every Culin’Art event and hope its ongoing effort will be a unique contribution to the development of the community in Nha Trang,” Caubo said.

For more information, call 058 388 7777 or email to info@icnhatrang.com.

Museum receives documentary films on President Ho Chi Minh

The Ho Chi Minh Museum held a ceremony in Hanoi on February 22 to receive five documentary films on President Ho.

The films were produced by the Centre for Press and International Communication Co-operation (CPICC) under the Ministry of Information and Communications in response to the ‘Study and Follow President Ho Chi Minh’s Moral Example’ campaign.

The first film is entitled ‘Uncle Ho’s footsteps on the Party’s revolutionary path’. The two-episode documentary summarises the life and career of President Ho and his contributions to the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam as well as to the country’s struggle for national liberation.

The second film, named ‘Similarities’, was a joint production of the CPICC and the Latino Film Studio of the Cuban Communist Party's Central Committee. The 60-minute film shows the similarities between the beloved Vietnamese leader and Cuban President Fidel Castro.

The 30-minute ‘Uncle Ho and Central Highlanders’ film features the sentiment between President Ho and ethnic groups in the Central Highlands, as well as how the people realise Uncle Ho’s teachings in the national salvation war and the development and integration process.

Meanwhile, the fourth film recalls the country’s significant historical landmarks with President Ho reading the Declaration of Independence, proclaiming the foundation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

The last documentary is ‘Uncle Ho in the hearts of soldiers’, capturing the memories of soldiers about the President.

The presentation of the five films contributes to enriching information at the Ho Chi Minh Museum about the President’s ideology and moral example for visitors from home and abroad.

Centre for rubber science, technology to be established

The Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST) has decided to establish a centre for rubber science and technology in order to further contribute to the development of Vietnam’s rubber industry.

The centre will continue and carry forward the technologies and equipment of the project: “Establishment of a Carbon-Cycle-System with Natural Rubber” funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

It will be managed by a directorate staffed by Dr. Phan Trung Nghia from the Vietnamese side and Associate Prof . Dr . Seiichi Kawahara from Japan’s University of Technology.

Within the framework of the over 6.9 million USD project, running from April 2011 to March 2016, a group of Vietnamese and Japanese researchers successfully developed a technology that helps remove proteins which cause allergy in natural rubber, thereby enabling the production of higher-quality materials and easing adverse impacts of rubber production on the environment.

Its overall objective is to reduce CO2 emissions by replacing fossil-resource originated synthetic rubber with carbon-neutral natural rubber.

It also seeks to create new industries in automotive and fuel cell fields through the application of high-performance rubber and advanced polymers from protein-free natural rubber.

The newly developed technology enhances the safety level of rubber products and promotes the use of natural rubber.

The project has also developed advanced wastewater treatment technology for rubber processing factories. This helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and recover methane as an energy resource.

Its equipment, which is sponsored by the Japanese agency, has been handed over to the centre.

Cho Ray Hospital receives honour for second time

Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City was honoured with the State’s Labour Order (first class) for the second time during its 115th founding anniversary on February 23.

Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Xuyen said she hopes the hospital will build on its remarkable achievements to grow stronger, focusing on the construction of the Vietnam-Japan friendship hospital, the cardiovascular centre, and the day treatment centre for outpatients.

Director of the hospital Nguyen Truong Son said the hospital now has over 2,600 beds, and receives an average of 4,160 outpatients and 2,500 inpatients per day.

In 2015, the hospital provided examination and treatment for over 2 million patients, while training thousands of doctors at home and abroad, transferring technologies to medical units, building satellite hospitals, and conducting many scientific research projects.

It also developed social activities to help poor patients, improved services, and put into use the new tumour centre.

Cho Ray is also one of the first hospitals in Vietnam to conduct organ transplants, making significant contributions to the country’s health development. The hospital hopes to conduct its 500 th successful kidney transplant in 2016.

In addition to providing medical check-ups and treatment in the southern cities and provinces, the centrally-run hospital also serves as a scientific research centre and has carried out a number of international joint projects in health.

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