“The Brụi K’Mé Bridge is fragile and deteriorated, but we have no choice but to cross it to get to work everyday,” said K’Bồn, a resident of Di Linh District in the Central Highlands province of Lâm Đồng.

“Many people and their vehicles fell from the bridge and were seriously injured,” he told the  Tin tức (News) newspaper.

The 60m-long bridge was made of wood by local residents 30 years ago and requires constant upgrades, he said

The Brụi K’Mé Bridge is one among tens of suspension bridges in the province that have deteriorated and need urgent repair or replacement.

Đinh Trang Hoà commune alone has six wooden suspension bridges built a long time ago. They are falling apart but are an indispensable part of residents’ daily lives.  

Another resident in the commune, K’Bích, said: “We knew it was dangerous to cross the bridge but we have no other choice. It would be tougher and take much more time to go if we use another road instead of the bridge.”

According to the provincial department of transport, the province has nearly 100 unsafe bridges.

Many suspension bridges were built of wood. Their vertical piers are dilapidated while many parts of their decks are decayed, covered with rotten wood pieces, making them dangerous to cross.

The chairman of the commune’s People’s Committee, Nguyễn Duy Hùng, said local authorities asked provincial authorities to allocate capital to upgrade or build new bridges so residents could live and work.

The provincial transport department proposed to the Ministry of Transport to invest in building 15 new suspension bridges and 100 other bridges in the province, which is home to a dense network of rivers and springs, to ensure traffic safety, particularly during flood season.

In 2014, the transport ministry launched a project to build small-scale bridges in remote areas. The project requires VNĐ12.6 trillion ($563 million) to build 7,800 small bridges across the country.

During the first phase of the project, 186 suspension bridges were built to meet the urgent needs of local residents in 28 mountainous provinces in the north, the centre and Central Highland regions.

The second phase of the programme, which aims to build nearly 4,000 bridges in remote areas, kicked off in August this year. A total of 3,959 bridges, including many suspension bridges, will be built in more than 5,200 communes in 450 districts of 50 provinces and cities. Priority will be given to 63 impoverished districts. 

Regional Training Course and Workshop on Ecosystem Based Adaptation held in Can Tho   

Under the sponsorship of the Asian-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN), the Asian Institute of Technology in Vietnam (AIT-VN) in cooperation with the United Nations University, Institute of Water Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH), Canada and host of  the  international and regional partners  last week implemented the ENGAGE Program  (Ecosystem Based Adaptation Management and Governance for Sustainable approach of Coastal Ecosystems) in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho.  

The event had the participation of international experts in the field of climate change & coastal ecosystems in South East Asian region (SEAR), government officials working in the coastal regions of SEAR; Representatives of stakeholders, ministries, and departments of the regional Mekong Delta. 

Coastal ecosystems bordering the tropical coastlines play an important role in  maintaining holistic environmental conditions for the coastal communities. These ecosystems mainly comprise of mangrove forest, swamps, marine tidal forests and play a key role in sheltering the shoreline between freshwater and the saline. 

South East Asian region [SEAR] countries constitute the largest habitat for coastal diversity, including mangroves. Indonesia alone houses more than twenty per cent of the world’s mangroves. Recent debates in sustainability science endorses the need of ecosystem based framework for resource management and planning as it appropriates various ecological services and benefits received by the social capital. 

In order to create an enabling environment for sustainable management of coastal ecosystems in SEAR, the regional training cum workshop discussed and debated host of issues relevant for 

Ecosystems Based Adaptation approach for Sustainable Management and Governance of Coastal Ecosystems. Contents including:  biodiversity and ecosystem profiling of  coastal ecosystems and mangroves;  impact of changing climate coastal ecosystems;  impacts of climate change and sea level rise on hydrological dynamics in land and aquatic  ecosystems,  natural disasters and mangroves; disaster risk reduction based on ecosystems, strategic risk assessment and  vulnerable  adaptation, nature  based solutions of coastal zone management, overview and analysis of vulnerabilities and policy barriers to sustainable management; the  importance of policy reform as well as the formulation of a specific action to improve research, training and management of ecosystems area.  

The aim of the program is to strengthen capacity of professionals, academics, managers and 

institutions while assessing needs and gaps analysis in capacity needs for  ecosystem based 

adaptation approach for sustainable costal zone management in the region. On the long term, the aim is to create a discussion forum or a platform to facilitate open dialogue platform for experts, specialists and policy officials in addressing common inquiries on climate change impacts and ecosystems based approach aligning with coastal development planning and management  including emphasis  on traditional practices and new methodologies for sustainable management of the coastal ecosystems, promote and encourage exchanges of knowledge between different stakeholders in the region.  

The twin-framework approach adopted in the ENGAGE program consisted of 3-day training course and one day of multi-stakeholders dialogue workshop  (Round table Workshop).  

The training course will focus on theoretical understanding and practical approaches to address and understand characteristics, ecology and functions of coastal ecosystems and ecosystem based adaptation as a management tool. 

Training will comprise a mix of lectures, seminars and field visits in the Mekong Delta. The stakeholder workshop aims  to  bring together regional experts and key stakeholders  to initiate a dialogue on barriers and opportunities for regional cooperation on  Integrated Coastal Zone Management, Ecosystem based Management, Climate Change Adaptation in Coastal Zones, Risk  Assessment, Vulnerability Mapping, Disaster Risk Reduction. The dialogue will lead to setting priorities to address challenges of ecological conservation and sustainable management of coastal systems with specific focus on mangrove ecosystems.  

The training cum workshop welcomed participation of more than 30 experts, researchers,  lecturers, officers and local government officials from Canada, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, U.S and Vietnam. They are now working in the fields  of Natural Resources and Environmental Technology, Marine and Coastal Resources, Marine Spatial Management, Marinelife Conservation & Community Development, Advanced Research on Global Change, Sustainable Development, Urban Environmental Management, Water & Environment, Aquaculture, Agriculture and Fishery...  

“This is a useful program for young researchers, the project staffs working in the field of development. This is also the meeting place of the international experts in the field of climate change & coastal ecosystems in South East Asian region, the dialogue  on the barriers and opportunities for regional cooperation on integrated management of the coastal ecosystem based adaptation to climate change in coastal areas ...,” said Dr. Ngo Tho Hung - Head of Environment & Development, AIT in Vietnam. 

“The ENGAGE program is providing a platform for participants  to network and exchange experiences on  best management practices  for sustainable  coastal zone management.  UNU-INWEH  strongly believes  that data, information and knowledge sharing  and aligning with  regional partners is vital to implementation of  the sustainable development goals  (SDG’s) aiming to enhance the sustainability of coastal ecosystems (SDG 14) and also SDG 17 outlining a partnership based model to enactment of the SDG agenda,” said Dr. Nidhi Nagabhatla, UNU-INWEH, Canada. 

“As a young researcher based in the Mekong Delta Viet Nam, a region where climate change 

adaptation is a burning issue, I find the ENGAGE training workshop very useful for my research. The training is really a fantastic opportunity for me to learn from senior researchers and scientists from the U.S, Canada and regional countries. This is also a great chance for me to establish networks with peers from SEAR countries such as the Philippines, Myamar, Thailan, Indonesia, etc. which would facilitate future research collaboration between us,” said Mr. Pham Vu Bang  – Researcher at  School of Economics and Law, Tra Vinh University, Vietnam. 

Government gives rice aid to flood-hit central provinces

Nearly 6,900 tonnes of rice will be provided for the central provinces of Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Quang Binh to support people affected by storms and floods this year.

The Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Finance to give the assistance to the provinces.

Nearly 3,960 tonnes will be allocated to Quang Binh to help flood victims.

More than 908 tonnes and 2,005 tonnes of rice will be respectively provided for Nghe An and Ha Tinh to aid those affected by storm RAI in September and floods.

Deaths were reported while hundreds of thousands of houses and a widespread area of crops were deep under water due to floods triggered by downpours in the central and Central Highlands regions from October to early November.

Other assistance from the State as well as Vietnamese people both at home and abroad has gone to the victims.-VNA

PM gives nod to sustainable green growth project

The Prime Minister has approved a project on social objectives in sustainable green growth in Vietnam, using the non-refundable official development assistance (ODA) from the German government.

The project includes three main components, with the first focusing on methods and skills on social impact assessment (SIA) to improve the capacity of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) and relevant agencies.

The second one is to strengthen the role of the MoLISA and relevant agencies in conducting the SIA.

The third component aims to improve the knowledge and understanding of the MoLISA and relevant agencies about social factors in realising sustainable green goals.

The MoLISA is responsible for carrying out the project, which has an investment capital of 3.8 million EUR, including 3.6 million EUR from the German government’s ODA.

Vietnamese students’ art performance held in UK

An art show from the Vietnamese Society at the London School of Economics and Political Science (Vietsoc LSE) named "Blood Bond" took place in the Old Theatre in London, the UK on November 26.

The annual programme, the 15th of its kind, featuring a play and numerous art performances, helps promote connectivity between Vietnamese students and UK locals.

The play told about two sisters in a desperate situation, who kidnapped the son of a rich family and tried to blackmail them. However, the younger sister fell in love with him.

Phan Thu Phuong, President of the Vietsoc LSE said “we will continue to pass this passion and dedication to the freshers to ensure the continuity of the annual show.”

Phuong underlined the efforts of all students involved in the show, saying that it aims to enhance the bond among Vietnamese students in the UK.

Live link-up television program marking New Year's Eve 2017 to be held in big cities

Police in the northern province of Phu Tho said on November 27 they arrested a four-member group illegally transporting drugs, and seized 300 cakes of heroin.

The investigation team of the provincial police stopped two suspect vehicles in Viet Tri City on late November 26.

At the investigation office, Vang A Cang, who was born in 1974 and resides in Moc Chau district, Son La province, confessed that he owned and transported the drugs for sale. He hired the three others to guard and transport the drugs.

The cakes of heroin were wrapped in multiple nylon bags and hidden inside five plastic containers.

The case is under investigation.

Luong Dinh Cua Award ceremony held

The 11th Luong Dinh Cua Award ceremony was held in Hanoi on November 17 to honour 85 outstanding young people in production and business in rural areas.

The Luong Dinh Cua Award is the noble reward of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee (HCMYU) given to young people in rural areas with outstanding achievements in production, business, application of modern science technologies, environmental protection and new rural lifestyle building every year.

Addressing the event, First Secretary of the HCMYU Central Committee Le Quoc Phong said, over the past 10 years, 1,650 young people have been honoured with the Award for their outstanding contributions to their hometowns’ socio-economic development.

Phong expressed his hope that the 85 outstanding young people will serve as the pioneering force to encourage more local young people to implement the agricultural goals set by the Party and the State.

He also expressed his belief that the Award will continue promote innovation and the spirit of start-up among young people, thus contributing to the industrialisation of the country.

During the award ceremony, photos and agricultural products were showcased.

Hanoi offers free cancer screening for residents with health insurance

It is estimated that about a fifth of the city’s population will benefit from the program.

Hanoi will offer free cancer screenings for local people aged 35 or over who have health insurance, said city mayor Nguyen Duc Chung on November 25 at a meeting with the Hanoi Evangelical Church.

The city is set to launch a high-technology center for digestive surgery on Sunday, which would allow 1.6 million Hanoi residents aged 35 to 65 have a free screening for digestive cancers, said the mayor.

“The cost of the pre-emptive screening can range from US$15 in Singapore to $25 in the United States,” said Chung.

“But Hanoi will cover the cost for those with health insurance. This is a breakthrough primarily aimed at improving health care services for local people,” he added.

The center for digestive health is equipped with most advanced medical devices such as 4-dimensional virtual endoscopy machines.

Statistics show the average five-year survival rate for males is currently 33% nd about 40% for females. In some developed countries, the cancer survival rate has reached 70-80%.

Most of the cancer patients in Vietnam are diagnosed late, which results in more costly treatment and a higher death rate, according to Tran Van Thuan, managing director of a Hanoi-based Cancer Hospital K.

Vietnam records on average 150,000 new cancer cases per year, according to the World Health Organization. 

Da Nang observes World AIDS Day

Nearly 2,500 people, including representatives from ministries, departments, international organisations and local residents, attended a meeting in the central city of Da Nang on November 27 to call for non-discrimination against those living with HIV/AIDS.

The event aims to respond to the national action month for HIV/AIDS prevention and control, and mark the World AIDS Day (December 1).

Speaking at the event, Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long highlighted the significant  achievements Vietnam has made in HIV/AIDS prevention and control over the past 26 years.

The year 2016 marked the nine consecutive year Vietnam witnessed the reduction in the numbers of new HIV infections, cases of HIV developing into full-blown AIDS, and AIDS-related fatalities, Long said.

Vietnam has carried out comprehensive and effective measures to combat HIV/AIDS while focusing to care, support and cure people living with HIV/AIDS, he reiterated.

Vietnam has actively responded to the 90-90-90 goals set by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UN AIDS), that ensure at least 90 percent of all people with HIV will know their status, and that 90 percent of people diagnosed with HIV will receive sustained antiretroviral (ARV) therapy and, 90 percent of all people receiving ARV therapy will be diagnosed with viral suppression.

The Deputy Minister called for a drastic and joint effort to combat HIV/AIDS, with focus on early HIV/AIDS screening and testing.

Localities should also push forward with efforts to realise the Three-Zero target of no new HIV infection, no death from AIDS and no discrimination against HIV/AIDS carriers.

Ali Safarnejad from the UN AIDS said this year marked the second year in a row Vietnam observed World AIDS Day with a determination to realise the UN’s goals of 90-90-90 and look forward to end the epidemic by 2030.

He also underlined remarkable achievements Vietnam has made in HIV/AIDS prevention and control work, saying that around 80 percent of HIV-infected cases in Vietnam have been tested, diagnosed and aware of their situation, and over half of them are receiving ARV therapy, staying below viral suppression.

In Vietnam, about 1,000 HIV cases were detected in 2015, down from 18,000 in 2010. HIV-linked deaths also declined from 3,200 to 2,000 during the past five years.

Saint Paul Hospital opens digestive centre in Hà N?i

Saint Paul General Hospital opened a high-tech medical centre that specialises in endoscopic surgery and digestive treatment for the people of Hà N?i and neighbouring areas on Sunday.
“The centre, worth over VND340 billion (US$15 million), has been built following European standards and will become the country’s leading endoscopic surgery facility, satisfying the increasing need for the examination and treatment of people in Hà N?i,” said Hà N?i health department director Nguy?n Kh?c Hi?n.
With support of international experts, the centre will also be a location for training for the city’s doctors.
The 2,800sq.m centre has 12 consulting rooms, 10 patient rooms with 45 beds, four endoscopic diagnostic rooms and three surgery rooms. It has been equipped with state of the art medical facilities, including latest Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and CT scanners, for early detection of cancers related to the digestive system, such as stomach and rectum cancers.
“The centre will help reduce congestion in hospitals, while meeting people’s increasing demands for high quality services and minimising the number of patients going abroad for cancer treatment,” said municipal People’s Committee Chairman Nguy?n Ð?c Chung at the event.
“The city has bought a digestive cancer screening system from Japan that can provide early detection of cancers of the digestive systems of people aged 40 and above. Patient will have to only pay VND63,000 ($2.8) for a service fee each time, compared to $15 in Singapore or $26 in the US,” said Chung.
“The 320 tests-per-hour system could help in the early detection and treatment of cancer for thousands of patients, as well as prevent cancer for 5,000-10,000 people each year in the city,” stressed Chung.
Chung said that Hà N?i would also put in place a programme on the transference of techniques on screening and treating diseases for babies in the womb from 26 weeks and above, as part of a cooperative medical programme that would be signed soon between the city and Paris, France.
Also, the city would soon invite experts from medical centres in Taiwan, India, and Singapore to work or teach doctors in Hà N?i. 

Nui Coc Lake development plan approved

The Prime Minister has approved a master plan to develop Nui Coc Lake in northern Thai Nguyen province into a national tourism area by 2025 with a vision to 2030.
Planned national tourism areas include Phuc Xuan, Phuc Triu and Tan Cuong communes in Thai Nguyen city, Tan Thai, Binh Thuan, Luc Ba, Van Tho, and Quan Chu communes and Quan Chu town in Dai Tu district, Phuc Tan commune in Pho Yen district, and all areas around Nui Coc Lake.

The core area in the plan covers 1,200 ha, excluding the water surface area of the lake. Key tourism products are to be resorts, sporting activities on islands in the lake and around the lake, community tourism, tea culture, and the combining of ecotourism in nearby Tam Dao National Park.
Additional tourism products are to include cultural - spiritual tourism, camping, picnics, weekend vacations, shopping, and culinary and entertainment activities.
Tourism in Nui Coc Lake has been gradually improving thanks to major projects from large groups, Mr. Nguyen Trung Quan, Director of Avitour, a travel agency in Hanoi, said. The latest major investment project in Thai Nguyen province will build the world’s largest Buddhist tower, with capital of VND10 trillion ($439.7 million) and under a VND15 trillion ($65.9 million) investment project from the Xuan Truong Construction Company.

“This project is still under conduction,” he said. “When researching the area, infrastructure and sightseeing tour routes are still its weakest points. Tourism products in the province are not diverse, for example, and are mainly for summer vacations while few are for winter vacations.”
Even so, he is optimistic about the province’s tourism potential. “Thai Nguyen as well as northeast and northwest Vietnam are truly beautiful,” he said. “Most important of all, it has its own specialties that can attract tourists, such as tea festivals and tea culture.”
By 2025 Nui Coc Lake is to meet all the criteria to become a national tourism site. By 2030 it is to become a center of ecotourism in Vietnam with modern facilities and infrastructure. Thai Nguyen will diversify its tourism products and develop the Thai Nguyen tea brand, which will then be able to compete with other tea brands in the region.

The goal is for the Nui Coc Lake national tourism site to welcome 4 million tourists by 2030 and earn revenue of VND2 trillion ($87.9 million).
Nui Coc Lake is about 100 kilometers from Hanoi and is an artificial lake 35 meters in depth and 25 square kilometers in size. The best time to visit is from March to September. It is a popular choice for people from Hanoi to enjoy a weekend away, especially for those who like a quiet space.

HCMC honors people doing good deed quietly

Ho Chi Minh City authorities yesterday held a ceremony to honor 136 citizens and groups that have performed good deed quietly.

These good people are retirees, sanitation workers, laborers, volunteers who are enthusiastic in humanitarian and social deeds; soldiers who are ready to protect the city’s security order; devoted teachers or medical workers who take care of needy students and patients and entrepreneurs who actively contribute  in social works for the community’s benefit.

They are good examples not only for HCMC inhabitants but also for people in the country. They performed good deeds in quiet way yet all deeds are done by their hearts. Most of all, their deeds originated from voluntary spirit; accordingly, they do not need to be honored or known by others; they simply want to help disadvantaged people to have better lives.

Speaking at the ceremony, Chairman of the city People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong stressed that when Uncle Ho was alive, he valued commending exemplary models “Good people, good deed” who have had great contribution to the society. 

The Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee in HCMC, labor unions in districts, the media frequently discover and laud individuals and groups that have greatly contributed to the community. The quantity of exemplary models this year doubled in 2014. Some of them refused to show themselves in public as they said they did not perform these deed for their own interest.

City leaders expected 138 people to be seeds for other good deeds and to be examples to follow.

Participated in the ceremony were HCMC Party Chief Dinh La Thang, Deputy State President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh, People’s Committee Chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Ho Chi Minh City Tat Thanh Cang and HCMC Deputy Party Chief Vo Thi Dung.

One more case of Zika in southern province