HIV prevention facts reach at-risk populations

Around 750,000 people, including drug users, homosexuals and sex workers have received HIV prevention treatment under the US$44-million Community Reach Programme.

The programme's peer educators handed out free condoms and persuaded those at high-risk to accept HIV testing.

The five-year programme has been implemented by Pact Viet Nam – a non-governmental organisation with funding from the United States Agency for International Development.

The initiative, kicked off in September 2006, concentrates on five priority provinces including An Giang, Dien Bien, Lao Cai, Nghe An and Quang Ninh as well as the four cities of Ha Noi, HCM City, Hai Phong and Can Tho.

It aims to enhance the scale, quality and effectiveness of the response by the organisations to HIV/AIDS in Viet Nam, through supporting comprehensive prevention, care, support and treatment interventions, and creating a supportive social and policy environment

These localities were the country's largest urban centres, business ports and mountain provinces affected by cross-border drug trading, said PACT's HIV&Health Advisor Pham Thanh Hang.

Around 62,000 people living with HIV, as well as their family members, have bebefited from the programme's home-based care.

It is estimated that 4,000 people living with HIV have received antiretroviral treatment.

Fire torches 42 workers’ rooms in Ca Mau

A large fire occurred at a collective residential quarter in Cai Nuoc District, Ca Mau province yesterday, March 13, destroying 42 rented rooms for workers at a local company, authorities reported.

The fire broke out at 3 pm at a quarter that accommodates workers from the Ca Mau Food and Fisheries Export Company (FFC) in Luong The Tran Commune.

The authorities mobilized 4 fire engines along with 100 firefighters, police officers, and soldiers to the scene to extinguish the fire, and the assembled force put out it after an hour.

Some workers told the police that they found a worker burning some rubbish in a back area of the quarter, and the man disappeared after the fire was detected.

The police are investigating the cause of the fire and searching for the rubbish burner.

The fire cause total damages of about VND300 million (US$14,400), with 42 rooms completely burned with many assets inside and four others badly burned.

Pham Phuc Giang, deputy chairman of the district People’s committee, said the authorities have mobilized local forces to help workers to clean up the ruins.

FFC has given VND1 million (US$48) to each worker whose room was destroyed totally and VND500,000 to those whose domicile was partly damaged in the incident.

The residential quarter was built five years ago and had accommodated 140 workers until the fire occurred, FFC said.

Muong Nhe District conspirators tried

Eight people yesterday, March 13, appeared before the Dien Bien Province People's Court for disturbing social security and order in Muong Nhe District's Nam Ke Commune last April.

Based on initial investigations, the provincial People's Procuracy accused the defendants of putting pressure on local authorities to establish their own "Mong Kingdom".

During proceedings, the accused, most of them illiterates, admitted to not knowing the illegal nature of their activities, and recognised Party and State efforts in poverty reduction and hunger eradication.

As non-leaders of the incident, two of the culprits, Giang A Si and Vang A Giang, were sentenced to 30 months in jail while six others, Mua A Thang, Thao A Khay, Chang A Do, Thao A Lau, Cu A Bao and Giang Seo Phu, were ordered to serve 24 months each.

Many children fall ill due to hot weather

Affected by the current heat wave, a large number of children have had to be hospitalized in Ho Chi Minh City for treatment of respiratory problems, sore throat or diarrhea.

Dr. Trinh Huu Tung, head of the General Planning Department of the Pediatrics Hospital II in HCMC, said the number of children checked into the hospital in the past few weeks has sharply increased.

Yesterday, the hospital received 162 children, most of them suffered diarrhea, compared with 100-110 in the previous two weeks.

Because of the hot weather, children tended to drink more water than usual, and when what they drink is not hygienic, they can suffer diarrhea, Tung said.

In addition, food can quickly turn stale or become spoiled in hot weather, making it another cause of diarrhea, he said.

The number of children with respiratory problems has also risen, with about 140 children hospitalized per day in the past few weeks, compared to just 100-110 in the weeks before, Tung said.

Keeping their children in rooms with air conditioners set at low temperatures or exposing them directly to airflows from electric fans, parents might have also inadvertently given their kids respiratory tract inflammation, he explained.

Beside, children travelling under hot sunshine without wearing a face mask or those who do not drink enough water may also contract respiratory diseases.

At the Ear-Nose-Throat department, the number of child patients with middle ear inflammation has increased to 50-60 per day from only 20-25 two or three weeks ago, doctors said.

One of the reasons is that the hot weather can give children a sore throat. When this is not treated properly and in time, it can cause some complications, one of which is middle ear inflammation, doctors said.

Police rescue 2-year-old kidnapped boy

Two days after being kidnapped in a park in Lao Cai City, 2-year old Dao Duc Manh was returned to his mother on Tuesday morning.

Previously on Saturday evening, Dao Thi Oanh told her two children to wait for her in front of a parking lot after a day out in the park.

When she returned, there was only one son of 5 years old remained.

Her son told her that his younger brother was taken away by a strange woman. When he was pulling about with her, the young boy received two slaps on his face.

Oanh immediately reported the incident to Lao Cai authorities, who later sent forces to neighbor provinces to find the kidnapper.

On Monday, police in Lao Cai and Lai Chau province cooperated to seize the woman. However, she was not with Oanh’s son.

Besides, on Sunday evening, Trinh Xuan Loi residing in Doan Ket ward, Lai Chau town, Lai Chau province stepped out of his house to see a 2-year old boy standing next to a broken barrel in his yard.

Loi tried to ask but the boy did not answer anything and decided to bring the boy to ward police.

On Tuesday, the boy was returned to his mother in Lao Cai province.

At the police station, the kidnapper said she took the boy away to take a revenge on his mother due to jealousy.

Construction requires neighbours to evacuate

Homes in close proximity to the Da Lat Centre construction project in Da Lat City, Lam Dong Province will be relocated after a survey found that the project had impacted their foundations, cracked walls and caused them begin leaning sideways.

Da Lat Centre has been invested by Len Nguyen Joint Stock Company. The project, worth VND900 billion ($43 million), is expected to be completed in 2013.

Vinamilk grants scholarships to outstanding primary pupils

Viet Nam's biggest dairy producer Vinamilk yesterday, March 13, kicked off its annual scholarship fund worth VND1 billion (US$48,000) for 1,000 outstanding primary students across the country.

The programme, now in its eighth year, will also honour winners of its "Vinamilk – Searching for Vietnamese Talent" competition, with VND5 million going to each winner.

Vinamilk's Chief Executive Director of Marketing mdm. Nguyen Huu Ngoc Tran said the fund served as a huge source of encouragement to primary students while creating a special platform for students to display their talents in the fields of culture, sports and art.

Vinamilk also handed over libraries to primary schools in HCM City and the provinces of Lao Cai, Dong Thap, Dak Lak and Quang Binh.

The Vinamilk scholarship fund has donated around VND18 billion in total since it started in 2004.

Three Vietnamese and five South Korean sailors working on a South Korean fishing ship were rescued before it sunk off southern Japan yesterday, according to the Japanese Coast Guard. Two Korean sailors remaining missing.

The vessel 2006 Nam Seong caught fire before it sunk about 250km off Minamisatsuma, Kagoshima Province at around 11.50 a.m, local time.

Meanwhile, two of the three missing sailors involved in a collision between the barge HP 2868 and the ship Eastern Sun were rescued yesterday. The 22,200 tonne ship crashed into the barge in Hai Phong City's Lach Huyen Canal on Monday night.

Hot-tempered air traffic controller sacked

Aviation officials revoked the work permit of an air traffic controller for three months after he was found responsible for starting an argument and damaging property at the HCM City control tower on January 17, according to Nguyen Trong Thang, vice-inspector of aviation yesterday, March 13.

The air traffic controller was fined VND3 million (US$143) for damaging flight control equipment and VND4 million ($190) for fighting with his team leader. The incident occurred while several international fights were operating in the area under the team's management.

The southern Viet Nam Air Traffic Management Company was also fined VND7.5 million ($357) for trying to cover up the case. The team leader was removed from his position for not completing his mission.

VNN/VOV/VNS/Tuoi Tre