Japanese Encephalitis threatening children’s lives

The thirteen-year-old girl from Hải Dương Province was hospitalised after suffering from acute fever and convulsions.—Photo dantri.com.vn

Thirty severe cases of Encephalitis—Meningitis are being treated at the Department of Infectious Diseases of Việt Nam National Children’s Hospital, reported Phụ Nữ Việt Nam (Việt Nam Women) newspaper.

Of all the cases, two children were diagnosed with the deadly Japanese Encephalitis, a contagious disease carried by mosquitoes. Both were not vaccinated properly, or possibly not at all.

Lê Quỳnh Tr., a thirteen-year-old from Hải Dương Province was hospitalised after suffering from acute fever and convulsions. The child was reported to be nauseous, unresponsive to antipyretics and experiencing headaches. She then had doctors at a provincial hospital test her condition, and perform a CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) puncture before diagnosing her with the disease and moving her to the Việt Nam National Children’s Hospital. Even while receiving respiratory help and being treated with anti-edema drugs for ten days, the child’s condition remained unstable.

Another child suffering from Japanese Encephalitis, Nguyễn Đức A, 15 months old, from Bắc Ninh Province, was luckier, acquiring a stable state of health after just four days of similar treatment.

Japanese Encephalitis is a malicious disease with a high risk of fatality (25—35 per cent), according to Đỗ Thiện Hải, vice chairman of the Department of Infectious Diseases at the National Paediatrics Hospital. He warned that the disease is difficult to diagnose in its early stages since the symptoms resemble common infections, but after two or three days discernible signs begin to emerge, such as sudden high fever, nausea, dry vomit and dull reactions.

The disease spreads so quickly and severely that children could experience tremors, fall into a coma, or even die after just a day or two, Hải said. What’s more, complications that follow could impair patients’ capabilities to communicate or work, he added.

The most efficient preventive step against Japanese Encephalitis is through a proper vaccination process of three shots: the first shot being given while the child is one year old, followed by the second after a week or two, and the third a year later. Five to seven years after that, the child will became vulnerable to the infection again, so the process must be repeated until the child turns 15, Hải suggested.

The second best prevention is to ensure a clean environment whereby parents frequently sanitise to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. Experts suggest sleeping with a mosquito net to refrain from being bitten. When children are feverish or show signs of central nervous system damage, they should be hospitalised promptly for timely diagnosis and treatment.

Court reviews asset embezzlement case at PVP Land

The High-Level People’s Court in Hanoi on June 5 opened a trial to look into the appeals of the defendants in the asset embezzlement case at PetroVietnam Power Land JSC (PVP Land).

The court is scheduled to last until June 7.

In February 2018, the Hanoi People’s Court sentenced Trinh Xuan Thanh, former Chairman of the Board of Directors of PetroVietnam Construction Corporation (PVC), to life imprisonment.

Thanh’s accomplices, Dao Duy Phong, former Chairman of PVP Land’s Board of Directors, was given a jail sentence of 16 years.  

Dinh Manh Thang, former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Song Da Oil and Gas Investment and Commerce JSC, got nine years in prison.

Le Hoa Binh, former Chairman of the Board of Directors of 1/5 Construction and Services JSC and Minh Ngan JSC, and Nguyen Thi Kim Thoa, former chief accountant of 1/5 Construction and Services JSC and Minh Ngan JSC were sentenced to eight-year and six-year imprisonments, respectively.

Thai Kieu Huong, former Deputy General Director of Vietsan Investment JSC, and Huynh Nguyen Quoc Duy, a self-employed trader, each received a prison sentence of 10 years. 

All these defendants were charged with “asset embezzlement” in accordance with Article 278, Clause 4, Count a of the 1999 Penal Code (now is Article 353, Clause 4, Count a of the 2015 Penal Code), according to the court. 

Six out of the eight defendants lodged their appeals against the first-instance sentences. However, Thanh and Phong then withdrew their appeals. 

Meanwhile, Thang, Huong and Duy asked for a reduction of their jail terms. Thoa claimed she is innocent in the case. 

Phong’s wife, Nguyen Thuy Hoa, who was involved in the case as a person with related interests and obligations, also lodged an appeal requesting the return of 2 billion VND of the money that her family had paid to correct the consequences of the case as the cash is more than the requested amount.  

Between February and mid-April 2010, Thanh, as Chairman of the Board of Directors of PVC, along with Thang, Duy and Huong, with the support of Binh and Thoa instructed Dao Duy Phong and Nguyen Ngoc Sinh, representatives of PVC’s capital at PVP Land,  and Dang Sy Hung, chief of PVP Land’s economic and planning division, to transfer 12.12 million shares of PVP Land at Trans-Pacific Services JSC – the parent company of Vietsan to Minh Ngan JSC with a price lower than the deposit price. 

They appropriated a differential sum of more than 87 billion VND (3.86 million USD).

Of the money, Thanh arrogated 14 billion VND, while Thang pocketed 5 billion VND; Phong, 8 billion VND; and Sinh, 2 billion VND. 

The defendants received a total of 49 billion VND from the deal.

According to the verdict of the first-instance trial, among the defendants, Thanh played the decisive role in the case, followed by Phong and Sinh.

Residents in Tri Thuy commune of Phu Xuyen district, Hanoi, clean a canal near Provincial Road 428 after an environmental protection campaign launched on June 5 

Religious followers in Hanoi joined municipal authorities in an environmental protection campaign launched at the church of Hoang Nguyen Parish in Tri Thuy commune, Phu Xuyen district, on June 5.

The campaign was part of activities in response to the World Environment Day (June 5) and the action month for the environment.

At the launching ceremony, President of the municipal Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee Vu Hong Khanh said religious organisations have done good work to  protect the environment. 

Efforts to protect the environment and respond to climate change in the capital city have resulted in many positive outcomes over the last couple of years, he noted, elaborating that the municipal committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha has combined environment-related content with activities of Buddhist training schools.

The Caritas of the Archdiocese of Hanoi has organised “Green Saturdays” to promote clean-up activities. The Hanoi Capital Oratory of Caodaism has encouraged followers to practice food safety and use vegetarian food. Meanwhile, dignitaries of the Bahá'í Faith called on its followers to popularise environmental protection messages on the occasion of the bicentenary of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, last year, the official added.

He asked authorities, religious organisations and local residents to continue working to protect the environment and respond to climate change.

Priest Joseph Dao Ba Thuyet, head of the Caritas of Phu Xuyen Deanery, described the campaign as a driving force for religious followers to be more responsible in environmental protection. He also called on all Catholics to act for a clean and beautiful world.

According to the municipal Department of Natural Resources and Environment, activities have been taking place across the city from May 15 to July 31 in response to the action month for the environment, including promoting waste collection and treatment, stepping up examination and settlement of projects with high pollution risks and enhancing cooperation with foreign partners to ensure effective and sustainable use of water resources.

Young ASEAN leaders contribute ideas to protect Mekong Delta environment

At the workshop (Source: tapchicongsan.org.vn)

Some 120 young leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) contributed their ideas to protecting the environment in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam at a workshop which opened in Can Tho city on June 5.

The event, which runs until June 9, was organised by the US Mission to Vietnam and the Resource Centre for Community Development from An Giang University.

Participants will study the consequences of changes in the environment in the Mekong Delta such as landslides, salinisation, river flooding, sea level rising, degradation of water resources and the effects of building hydroelectric plants, which all impact on people’s lives and the economic development of the region. 

Through presentations, case studies, site visits and interactive activities, participants will explore potential short and long term solutions and strategies for addressing changes in the environment that are causing serious consequences in Can Tho city and the Mekong Delta.

US Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel Kritenbrink said the US government is investing for the sustainable future of countries in the Mekong River basin.

Protecting the environment in the Mekong Delta not only brings benefits for residents living along the Mekong River but also helps promote development and security in Southeast Asia, he added.

The US will devise policies to support food and energy resources in the Mekong Delta in the long run as well as programmes to improve the management of water resources, reduce environmental pollution and build clean energy solutions.

It will also carry out projects to help farmers develop agriculture adapting to climate change, the diplomat said.

During their stay in the Mekong Delta, young Southeast Asian leaders will make fact-finding tours to areas that bear the brunt of climate change in An Giang, Can Tho and Bac Lieu.

The workshop is part of the Young Southeast Asian Leadership Initiative (YSEALI) – a programme launched by the US government in 2013 to strengthen leadership development and networking in Southeast Asia. 

YSEALI seeks to build the leadership capabilities of youths in the region, strengthen ties between the US and Southeast Asia and nurture an ASEAN community.

Vietnam launches design for clean energy future

The design of a clean energy future in Vietnam was announced at a conference held in Hanoi on June 5.

Nguy Thi Khanh, Executive Director of the Green Innovation and Development Centre (GreenID), said the design is the result of a GreenID study on development scenarios for electricity sources in Vietnam. 

With criteria focusing on health benefit, feasible cost, and national energy security, the research showed Vietnam might not need to build coal-fired thermal power plants but still archive energy security at affordable prices.

Nghiem Vu Khai, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA), said green energy is a smart move for Vietnam in response to climate change, as the country hold potential in solar and wind power. 

Dao Trong Tu, deputy head of the Centre for Sustainable Development of Water Resources and Climate Change Adaptation, highlighted a number of benefits brought about by the design.

According to him, the design will help ensure energy security in the country via reducing coal imports and avoid the construction of about 25 coal-fired thermal power plants by 2030, thus cutting the pressure of mobilising 60 billion USD for the building. 

As a result, the country will not have to burn approximately 70 million tonnes of coal per year, which also means Vietnam will save about 7 billion USD a year from cutting coal imports. The volume of CO2 emissions will drop by about 116 million tonnes annually, while the air and water will become less polluted. The design is estimated to help prevent 7,600 early deaths per year by 2030.

Participants showed their approval of the design, stating that the study put forth a safe and suitable option in meeting Vietnam’s future demand for energy.

The design presents a country adequate energy with the environment and human health protected, said Nguyen Trong An, Deputy Director of the Research and Training Centre for Community Development.