Warm blankets for cold spell-hit provinces

As many as 3,800 woollen blankets will soon be handed over to poor residents in 17 northern provinces which are being hit by the first strong cold spell in 2013, according to the Vietnam Red Cross (VRC).

Photo: VOV

Four mountainous provinces of Cao Bang, Ha Giang, Lai Chau and Son La will receive 300 blankets each, while the remainder will be shared among 13 others including Lang Son, Lao Cai, Dien Bien, Yen Bai, Bac Kan, Thai Nguyen, Tuyen Quang, Hoa Binh, Phu Tho, Bac Giang, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An and Ha Tinh.

The aid package, valued at nearly 310 million VND (about 14,760 USD), is sourced from goods reserves for emergency aid managed by the VRC’s Central Committee.

In addition, the committee is urging provincial Red Cross nationwide to launch campaigns of donating warm blankets and clothes to the affected provinces.

Food safety inspections stepped up to prepare for Tet celebrations

Inspections of food safety were stepped up across the board last year, with violations detected at 21 per cent of the 563,000 establishments checked, an online conference between the Government and local leaders heard yesterday, Jan 9.

Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, who also represents the intersectoral central steering committee on food safety, said the close co-ordination of various ministries and sectors had helped tackle high-profile cases concerning smuggled chickens, forbidden substances used in pork, fish and dry noodles, as well as imported apples.

The inspection teams issued strict punishments to offending traders, instructing them to destroy unhygienic food or fix wrongly-labelled products.

More than 1,300 establishments had their documents transferred to relevant agencies for review.

The number of food poisoning cases at collective kitchens was lowered last year, both in terms of infected cases and death toll.

The overall figure fell by 20.7 per cent, infected cases by 12.7 per cent and hospitalised cases by 22.3 per cent, compared to 2011.

No deaths were reported.

But the number of people poisoned by home-brewed wine with higher than permitted levels of alcohol rose 18.8 per cent, according to the health ministry.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat said the most pressing issue now was tainted food, particularly pork, vegetables and aqua-culture products.

He also noted that little progress had been reported on the quality of safe vegetables.

The country has over 22,000ha of certified safe vegetables, but the figure remained small compared to the total 100,000ha of vegetables grown nationwide.

Phat said it is worrying to see low levels of responsibility among growers and traders.

The ministry's inspections also found that only 10.3 per cent of checked livestock and poultry slaughter houses met safety standards.

Up to 45 per cent of them had serious violations, most of which were located in the northern region.

"The figures indicated many localities had not taken the Government's directive on slaughter seriously," Phat said.
Punishment of violations remains lax at local levels, he added.

The agriculture minister also noted the country had a limited number of food safety inspectors, which remained at just 300, compared to roughly 5,000 in Bangkok alone and 12,000 in Japan.

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan said food safety work gained six major outcomes last year, including the promulgation of legal documents, the establishment of steering boards on food safety at Central and local levels and increased public education.

He particularly praised recent efforts to tackle chickens smuggling.

Nhan, however, urged for tightened controls on imported food via both regular and irregular channels.

The model of safe markets should be set up across the country this year and more information should spread on the safe use of wine.

The country will soon carry out a month-long blitz on food safety for Tet (lunar new year), with a focus on safe food production chains and labelling safe products, firstly meat and vegetables.

Eight inspection teams for food safety have been set up in 24 provinces and cities, working from today until February 15.

14 convicted of activities against people’s government

The People’s Court of central Nghe An Province has handed down sentences ranging from three years probation to 13 years in prison to 14 people for “carrying out activities aimed at overthrowing the people’s government” pursuant to Clauses 1 and 2, Article 79 of the Penal Code.

According to the indictment at the trial held in Vinh City on January 8-9, between 2009 and 2011, the defendants were sent abroad by an overseas reactionary organisation called Viet Tan (Vietnam Reform Party) to attend training courses and devise action plans to overthrow the People’s Government.

They were given aliases, tasks, money and vehicles to return to the country and carry out their plans.

Three of the offenders received a reduced sentence for pleading guilty.

Newly manufactured drugs' licenses revoked

Three batches of drugs have been recalled from circulation, the Drug Administration under the Ministry of Health announced yesterday.

Samples of medicine from lot AC1102 of Acicef-200, imported by Quang Nam Pharmacy Company, as well as lot 0030412 of Azissel 250 and lot 256912 of Alphachymotrysin (both manufactured by domestic pharmaceutical companies), failed to meet quality standards, according to the National Institute of Drug Quality Control.

2,900 helmets provided for pupils in HCM City

The Asia Injury Prevention Foundation (AIP) and the Ho Chi Minh City Traffic Safety Committee presented more than 2,900 bike helmets to pupils from four primary schools at an event on December 9.

The four schools, Tran Nhan On, Tran Van On, Pham Van Chieu and Anh Duong, are located on roads that have a high rate of accidents, and had expressed concern that less than 30 percent of their students were wearing helmets, many of which were poor quality.

AIP Executive Director Mirjam Sidik said that while more than 90 percent of adults in Vietnam use helmets while driving motorbikes, only 20 percent of children aged between 6-12 wear them.

In addition to various educational activities to raise public awareness, the programme will help protect children as they now can use high quality helmets.

Vo Thi Thanh Van, Rector of the Tran Van On primary school, said the programme will provide a safer environment for pupils. Lessons on the correct way to wear the helmets will be implemented into the school’s curriculum and the helmets are expected to become part of the school uniform.  

Chicken pox sufferers urged to undergo treatment

Doctors have urged adults who have contracted chicken pox to seek medical advice immediately and to isolate themselves from others as the disease can be easily spread.

A man from Dong Thap Province in the Mekong Delta died recently because he sought treatment too late, according to doctors.

The 51-year-old man, who was brought to a hospital in HCM City with a high temperature and body rash, later developed signs of respiratory failure.

He was then transferred to the city's Hospital for Tropical Diseases on December 26, but died a day later.

Another adult with chicken pox, who was admitted to the same hospital, suffered complications of encephalitis and became seriously ill.

Last year, more than 2,500 patients with chicken pox were admitted to HCM City hospitals, according to the Hospital for Tropical Diseases.

Dr Le Manh Hung, the hospital's deputy head, told Nguoi Lao Dong (Labourer) newspaper that deaths from chicken pox rarely occurred, but people with weakened immune systems were much more vulnerable.

Many adults incorrectly assume that chicken pox is only serious in children, according to Hung.

But if adults seek treatment too late, or if they suffer from another ailment, or have weak immunity, they could encounter severe complications and die.

The chicken pox season typically occurs from January to May or June.

Chicken pox is caused by the varicella zoster virus, according to Dr Nguyen Ngoc Anh Tuan of HCM City Pasteur Institute.

Pregnant women, newborns, teens, adults and people with weakened immune systems are the most vulnerable.

The virus can be easily spread, usually by an infected person who sneezes, coughs or shares food or drinks with others.

The virus can also be transmitted by the fluid inside a chicken pox blister.

Vaccinations are the best prevention against the disease, according to doctors.

Fishery control force to protect national sovereignty, fishermen

Vietnam's first official force specializing in overseeing fishery operations in the country's seas will make debut this month, according to Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Vu Van Tam.

Fishery control force is a civil force with the main function of checking and inspecting fishery activities in the country’s sea areas to protect fishermen at sea and handle fishery violations.

Following a recently-issued Government decree, the force will conduct regular sea patrols and monitor fishery activities. Members of the forces will have authority to impose penalties on local and foreign fishing organizations and individuals operating within Vietnam's seas.

They will also be involved in disaster prevention and control as well as search and rescue activities.

The force is responsible for cooperating with the naval, border guard and marine police forces in dealing with specific cases.

In the immediate future, the fishery control force will be set up at the central level, with four regional divisions coming next. The fishery control division in the Tonkin Gulf will be the first to start operation.

Micro-controller contest launched

The city's Department of Science and Technology, in coordination with the Integrated Circuit Development Programme of Viet Nam National University in HCM City, has launched the first Viet Nam Micro-controller Application Contest.

The main organiser of the event is the university's Integrated Circuit Design Research and Education Centre.

The competition, which was launched yesterday, is being held for lovers of micro-controller technology and compilers. Participants are encouraged to offer their ideas on the SG8V1 chips used in electronic products.

"The contest encourages people to develop integrated circuit (IC) products. It also aims to improve the quality of Vietnamese micro-controllers," said Ngo Duc Hoang, director of the centre.

The SG8V1 micro-controller project is funded by the city's Department of Science and Technology and designed by the university's IC development programme.

Contest papers for the first round are due by April 18. The result of the first round will be announced on May 18.

Papers for the final round must be received before September 15. The final round will be held on October 15.

Nine airline incidents under investigation

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAA) is conducting investigation into nine airline incidents that have posed a severe threat to flight security.

In 2012 the aviation sector had 224 airline incidents, a decline of 15.2 percent over 2011 with no accidents. Of these, 143 were caused by technical problems, 75 by objective reasons and 21 by passengers. Four serious cases are still under investigation.

Violations of flight security and public order at airports and on the planes were found and handled in time. The number of disturbances and bomb threats were also on the decline.

To ensure flight security and safety, the CAA will take effective measures to implement the National Safety Programme approved by the Ministry of Transportation.

Docs launch HFMD treatment session

Doctors from ASEAN-member countries as well as China, Japan and South Korea will participate in a training course on prevention and treatment of hand-foot-mouth disease in HCM City.

The HCM City Paediatric Hospital No.1was assigned to organise the two-week course, scheduled to begin in June, the Ministry of Health's Preventive Medicine Department has announced.

According to Dr. Tang Chi Thuong, the hospital's director, each country will send two doctors to the course, which will be taught by Vietnamese doctors in English.

Thuong said that Vietnamese doctors had successfully treated patients that have had severe complications with Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy and early intubation. These methods have yet to be used in other countries.

The lecturers are doctors from the city's Paediatric Hospitals No.1 and No.2, the Hospital for Tropical Diseases and the Pasteur Institute.

Halasuco fined for labour supply violation

The Hai Phong-based Labour Supply and Commercial Joint Stock Company (Halasuco) was fined VND40 million (US$1,900) for violating the procedures to send workers overseas.

According to the Department of Overseas Labour (Dolab), the company allowed outsiders to recruit workers and sent the passports of 91 workers to a foreign partner that was not a legal entity in Chile.

The company was asked to return the passports to the workers and compensate them for any damages.
In late 2012, Dolab fined a construction company VND30 million (over $1,400) for sending nearly 130 workers to

Malaysia without following proper labour supply procedures.

French cardiologist donates heart valves

Doctor Bernard Beahrel from France successfully conducted heart surgery at the Da Nang-based Fortis-Hoan My hospital on Tuesday.

The French cardiologist, who also donated two heart valves to the patient and brought other necessary equipment to the hospital, is the dean of the cardiovascular faculty from Robert Debre University Hospital in Reims.

He plans to give surgeries to four other patients during his seven-day working trip to Da Nang.

Neighbours free woman, child from blaze

Neighbours managed to rescue a woman and her child after a fire broke our in their house in Mekong Delta Can Tho City on Tuesday morning, Jan 8.

Nguyen Thi Huyen, 31 and Tran Tuan Anh, 4, however sustained serious burn injuries and were rushed to hospital.
According to local police, the blaze in the house in An Khanh Ward, Ninh Kieu District, broke out after the boy set fire to a large cushion while playing with a lighter in the mezzanine.

Huyen went up to bring the burning cushion downstairs, but the cushion was too big and the ladder too narrow, and mother and son got stuck upstairs.

Luckily, neighbours noticed the fire and, with the help of authorities, extinguished the fire and rescued the two.

VNN/VOV/VNS