Lao Cai Province gets largest-ever hospital

The 500-bed Lao Cai General Hospital has officially opened in the northern mountain province of Lao Cai Province on Saturday, April 13, becoming the province's largest and most modern hospital.

The province is located in the northwest of Viet Nam. Sixty five per cent of its population are ethnic minority people. Due to mountainous terrain in the area, a common issue is a lack of medical facilities, with local patients suffering from serious illnesses travelling all the long journey to the capital city of Ha Noi, some 340km away from the province for treatment.

The 500-bed Lao Cai General Hospital has officially opened in the northern mountain province of Lao Cai Province on April 13, becoming the province's largest and most modern hospital. 

The construction of the 26-ha hospital, which started in 2008, was invested with a total capital of VND707.5 billion (US$33.7 million) from the State bond and ODA of the Republic of Korea's government. Of those, the Korea Eximbank provided some $13.6 million from the Economic Development Co-operation Fund to purchase all the medical equipment, including MRI, CT scanner, X-ray machine and ultrasound diagnostic units.

"The opening of the Lao Cai General Hospital with 500 beds will benefit the local people, especially the poor and ethnic minorities, allowing access and use of quality healthcare services and gradually create an equality in healthcare system for all," said director of the provincial health department, Nong Tien Cuong.

"With the most advanced medical equipment and human resources, the hospital will help shorten the treatment time, which can ease the burden for local residents and prevent overcrowding in the hospital," Cuong said, "Also it can help decrease the number of patients who have to be transferred to central governmental level's hospitals for treatment".

Disadvantaged people, patrons honoured in Hanoi

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA), and the Association for the Support of Vietnamese Handicapped and Orphans (ASVHO) on April 14 jointly host a meeting to honour outstanding people with disabilities, orphans and patrons.

The event, the 4th of its kind, saw the presence of President Truong Tan Sang and 325 delegates from every corner of the country.

Held every three years, the meeting aims to recognise and honour kind-hearted people, and those who have overcome difficulties despite their disabilities.

Addressing the meeting, President Sang highly valued the exceptional efforts of people with disabilities to contribute to social development. He praised and expressed his beloved sentiments to orphans who have suffered from many disadvantages but are still self-confident and study hard.

The president applauded and thanked patrons, organisations and individuals nationwide for supporting and encouraging vulnerable people, and motivating many people with disabilities and orphans to better themselves.

Party organisations, authorities, and the Fatherland Front at all levels, as well as other social organisation across the country were praised for creating favourable conditions and participating in activities to care for, encourage and support disadvantaged people.

The President spoke highly of the ASVHO for its array of creative and practical activities to support disabled people and orphans.

Sang also expressed gratitude to the support, both material and spiritual, from embassies, international non-governmental organisations and individuals.

In recent years, Vietnam has gained positive results in protecting, caring for and helping disadvantaged people.

“Under any circumstances, the Party, State and people will pay attention, take care and wholeheartedly support orphans and people with disabilities. It is a noble job, requiring the sentiment, responsibility and united efforts of the Party, political system and the whole of society,” he added.

President Sang urged Party committees, government agencies, social organisations, enterprises and patrons to do more to help disadvantaged people.

Helping disabled ‘noble': President

"The Party, State and people wholeheartedly support orphans and people with disabilities, no matter what the circumstances. This noble job requires the united efforts of the Party and political system as well as the whole of society," President Truong Tan Sang said at a meeting yesterday in the capital.

Held every three years by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) and the Association for the Support of Vietnamese Handicapped and Orphans (ASVHO), the meeting aims to honour people who overcome their disabilities and achieve great things as well as those who help them succeed.

In addition to praising those individuals, the President also spoke highly of the ASVHO for offering an array of creative and practical activities to support disabled people and orphans and expressed gratitude to everyone who supported them in this cause.

President Sang urged Party committees, government agencies, social organisations, enterprises and individuals to do even more to help disadvantaged people.

Earlier on Saturday, the charitable art exchange "One heart - One world" was held in Ha Noi in order to acknowledge previous donors and attract more financial support to help orphans and disabled people integrate into the community.

Attendees could meet accomplished disabled people and orphans from across the country.

The art exchange drew VND22 billion (US$10 million) in support for the cause.

Sacombank Depot on fire

The Sacombank Depot at Song Than Industrial Zone (IZ) in Binh Duong caught fire at 9pm on April 12.

The blaze covered a thousand square metres at the IZ, causing hundreds of people to panic.

According to initial information, dozens of companies as well as some Sacombank Depot storehouses were seriously affected by the fire, which started in areas where paint and chemicals were stored.

Hundreds of fire fighters and policemen from across Binh Duong province were mobilised with more than 10 fire trucks in an attempt to control the fire.

The fire wasreportedly still burning over a large area of the IZ as of 11pm that day.

Police detain 15 forest poachers

Loc Ninh District police yesterday, April 14, announced that 15 residents had been detained for resisting and assault causing injury on forest management officials after they were found logging illegally in the forest.

Two of the residents were discovered transporting wood on a motorbike on April 3, but got away from Ta Thiet Protective Forest management staff.

Help was called for but the loggers allegedly chased and abused the staff and supporters. Two were injured.

The case is under investigation.

Quang Nam educates locals about mine risks

Danish Demining Group (DDG) Viet Nam launched an education project yesterday for the prevention of accidents related to landmines and unexploded ordnances (UXO) in central Quang Nam province's Duy Xuyen district.

The first phase of the project aims to raise awareness on threats posed by left-over landmines and UXO for more than 11,000 affected school children and more than 10,000 local people.

The project will also look to conduct capacity-building activities in building mine risk education (MRE) for almost 600 teachers of 22 target schools.

At the launching ceremony, DDG Viet Nam's country director Roger Fast committed to providing almost US$100,000 in financial and in-kind funding for this mine action project in Viet Nam.

"Our target beneficiaries are children, who are major landmines and UXO victims. The project has been developed to respond to Viet Nam's strong determination and commitment to meeting the targets in the approved National Mine Action Strategy for the period of 2010-25," Roger said.

"Our ultimate goal is to remove the immediate threat caused by landmines and UXO, thereby improving and establishing sustainable livelihoods for the local population," he said

He also said that DDG will continue calling for the international community's support for Quang Nam and its neighbouring provinces to be able to deploy technical clearance.

Le Van Chi, a teacher of Duy Tan junior secondary school in Duy Xuyen district, said the project is significant to children and the local people.

"Landmines and UXO left over from the war pose a serious danger to thousands of students, buffalo herders and farmers. Students are very active and they can mistake UXO and landmines as toys, so they are the main victims of explosion," Chi said.

"Teachers, students and local farmers will have a better awareness of landmines and UXO by receiving illustrated education day by day," he said.

According to the latest report, more than 30,000 casualties have been recorded, of which 12,000 deaths and almost 19,000 injuries have occurred since the American war ended in 1975.
Quang Nam is one of provinces with the largest number of explosive remnants of war. The total contaminated area is over 1 million hectares, but only 5 per cent of the area has been cleared with landmines and UXO.

DDG has been present in 13 countries heavily affected by landmines and UXO.

Ecosystem services in Mekong Delta discussed

Ways to preserve natural and cultural values for the sustainable development of the Mekong Delta region were discussed at a forum in the southernmost province of Ca Mau on April 12.

On the theme “Maintaining Ecosystem Services in the Mekong Delta Region”, the event attracted the participation of 200 Vietnamese and foreign environmental experts, scientists and managerial officials.

Delegates shared research findings on hydrographic systems and sediment levels in the Mekong River and delta, defined ecosystem services in the region and their roles in climate change adaptation, and discussed tools and methods to manage ecosystem services.

Post-discussion outcomes are expected to raise the community and management officials’ awareness of the benefits natural ecosystems create for people in the region, and also demonstrate the importance of maintaining ecosystem services in response to climate change for sustainable development in the region.

The forum is part of a project to integrate ecosystem-based approaches to climate change adaptation and preserve biodiversity in Vietnam. Funding for the project is channeled through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, the Vietnam Environment Administration under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and the the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

The gathering was organized by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in coordination with the WWF, Stockholm University of Switzerland, and the Ca Mau provincial People’s Committee.

Industrial park builds social housing

Construction on the first social housing project in the southern province of Dong Nai has begun in Nhon Trach Industrial Park.

Work on the apartments, parks, private roads and public facilities, started last week, is expected to be completed in eight years.

The Viet Nam Urban and Industrial Zone Development Investment Corporation (IDICO) under the Construction Ministry invested VND758 billion (US$36.3 million) in the project.

The 100,000sq.m complex will have 27 five-storey buildings with a total of 3,491 apartments for employees at the industrial park.

Each apartment, with an area of 30 – 65sq.m, will offer affordable prices. A 36sq.m apartment will sell for about VND180 million ($8,600).

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Construction Minister Trinh Dinh Dung said a large number of workers at industrial parks faced a lack of housing.

Two million workers are employed at industrial parks but only 20 per cent of them have housing.
IDICO, which manages 17 industrial parks with hundreds of workers, targets building more than 20,000 apartments in the provinces of Dong Nai, Long An, Ba Ria-Vung Tau and HCM City by 2020.
By 2015, the country is expected to have 6.2 million labourers working in industrial parks, and 7.2 million by 2020.

Investors have shown little interest in social-housing projects because of low profits, according to Dung.

To address the issue, a decree from the Ministry of Construction will be submitted to the Government to propose incentives for businesses to develop social housing.

Dinh Quoc Thai, chairman of Dong Nai Province People's Committee, said this was the first project under a programme to develop housing for low-income residents in the province.

The province, which has more than 400,000 workers, plans to build 40,000 apartments for workers by 2015.

The social-housing project will be a model for others expected to be developed soon.

Nguyen Van Dat, director of IDICO, said a housing fund would be set up for workers in Nhon Trach Industrial Park. This would also help the province attract investment.

Khmer people enjoy Chol Chnam Thmay

The Party and State have continued promulgating numerous preferential policies to improve the material and spiritual lives of Khmer people and other ethnic minority groups.

The assertion was made by Vice Chairman of the Government’s Committee for Ethnic Affairs Son Phuoc Hoan when he met with the Patriotic United Buddhist Association in the Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu on April 13.

The meeting was held ahead of Khmer people’s traditional New Year festival, Chol Chnam Thmay, which takes place from April 14-16.

Monks and nuns were briefed on national socio-economic achievements as well as the positive changes in the lives of Khmer compatriots.

Representatives from the association expressed their gratitude to the State and Party for their assistance, and said they will, together with monks, nuns and Khmer Buddhist followers, well effectuate the State’s polices, contributing to provincial development.

The same day, Senior Lieutenant General Tran Phi Ho, Deputy Head of the Steering Committee for the Southwestern Region, visited and presented gifts to monks in Toa Sen, Go Xoai and Hanh Phuc Tang pagodas.

Ho praised the efforts exerted by Khmer people in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long to overcome difficulties to improve their lives.

He affirmed that the Party, State and local authorities have implemented a number of incentives to support Khmer people reduce poverty and improve economic development.

Representatives of pagodas committed to working with local authorities to promote production and improve living standards for Khmer people.

Earlier, a delegation from the Southwestern Region Steering Committee met with the Patriotic United Buddhist Association in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang to extend its best wishes to Khmer people.

Meanwhile, Khmer people in the southern province of An Giang welcomed the traditional Chol Chnam Thmay festival with joy and happiness.

People flocked to pagodas to pray for peace and success.

An Giang is home to over 110,000 Khmer people living in Chau Thanh, Chau Phu, Thoai Son, Tri Ton and Tinh Bien districts.

Sam Son town tries to revamp image

Sam Son is trying to eliminate the harassing and cheating of tourists and unscrupulous pricing, especially as the summer holidays draw near.

Trinh Huy Trieu, chairman of the Sam Son People's Committee, said the town was planning to increase monitoring of businesses offering tourism services and had instructed them to list prices.

It would close and fine businesses that did not publish prices or who practiced unscrupulous pricing.

The town would also establish a team to solve hot-button issues related to tourism, such as activities related to vendors, brokers and gambling groups.

The town aimed to welcome 2.3 million tourists this year, an increase of more than 13 per cent compared to last year.

Quang Nam police investigate deaths

Police of central Quang Nam Province have carried out an investigation involving the death of three gold diggers last Monday in the Phuoc Son District.

Senior lieutenant-colonel Nguyen Gioi, vice head of the district police, said that after being informed by local residents, the police arrived at the scene to find that all gold mines in the area had been demolished.

The victims, all of whom are from the northern province of Thai Nguyen, have died of suffocation, according to witnesses.

Local authorities face difficulties in specifying names of the deceased because they worked in an illegal gold mining area.

VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA