Doctor of medicine top career choice for children

Vietnamese children aged 7-14 chose the profession of doctor as their top career choice in the annual Adecco Children's Career Survey, conducted by Adecco Viet Nam, a subsidiary of one of the world's largest human resources companies.

"The results of this survey were eagerly anticipated and it's fascinating to see what is going on in the minds of Viet Nam's future business leaders." Nicola Connolly, general director of Adecco Viet Nam, said.

"The survey shows that children are family-oriented, ambitious and caring about the country they live in. Many want to help others who may be less fortunate than themselves." The survey, titled "What do you want to be when you grow up?", identified the top five jobs as doctor, teacher, police officer, singer and business executive.

Thirty-four per cent of the children who chose doctor said their monthly salary expectations ranged from VND1 million (US$48) to VND100 million ($4,807).

The children said they wanted to be a doctor to cure people and family, especially poor children and the elderly.

Asked what three things they would do if they became the President of Viet Nam, the children replied with a variety of responses: prevent war, catch thieves and protect people, build houses and swimming pools for the poor, give money to poor children, travel to Singapore and the US, and keep the country clean.

The survey asked whether it was more important to make lots of money or to spend time with your family. Eighty-one per cent of the children said that spending time with their family was more important.

However, 19 per cent said they wanted to make more money so they could take care of their parents and other family members.

Regarding weekend activities, more than 40 per cent of children said they preferred to go swimming. They also said the government's programme to offer training in swimming was effective.

Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos increase transport cooperation

Transport Ministers of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to accelerate road transport cooperation.

The MoU, inked during ministers’ meeting in Laos’ southern Pakse Champasak province on January 16-17, will allow vehicles from the three countries to cross their borders.

It will facilitate the transportation of goods and passengers including via sea ports among the three countries, and boost socio-economic development in each country, especially the development triangle region.

WHO: Quinvaxem vaccine safe to use

The "5 in 1" Quinvaxem vaccine - suspected to have caused the deaths of five children - is safe to use, according to the World Health Organisation.

The vaccine was examined by the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organisation and relevant agencies after the deaths of five children in Binh Dinh and Kien Giang provinces and Ha Noi after vaccination caused panic among parents.

According to Nguyen Van Binh, head of the Preventive Medicine Department, the three batches of Quinvaxem vaccines linked to the deaths had been removed from circulation and were still being examined for quality verification.

He said if these batches proved safe, they would be put back in use.

Contaminated groundwater blamed for commune cancer

The high number of deaths from cancer in a commune in Phu Yen Province has raised serious questions about the safety of the groundwater used by local residents in their daily lives.

Le Xuan Bang, chief of Song Cau Town's Hoa Hoi Commune in coastal Phu Yen Province, said that a total of 19 people died from cancer in recent years. In 2012 alone, nine residents have died, with seven of them being diagnosed with cancer. The youngest was just 20 years old, while the oldest was 66.

Le Huynh, who lives in the commune, lost his three sons to lung cancer. In 2001 Le Van Kieu died when he was 45, his brother Le Thanh Long died in 2004 when he was 37 years old and recently Le Van Nong also passed away at the age of 48.

"If life was to be safe and sound, there would be nowhere I would rather live than here. However, we now fear for our lives as cancer has killed many people," said Huynh.

Nguyen Van Chinh, deputy chairman of Xuan Canh People's Committee, stated that the number of cancer cases increased suddenly for the first time in 2008.

The quality of groundwater is suspected as the primary cause of the deaths.

Bang said that most of the commune's residents used water from the wells near the cemetery every day.

"The cemetery has more than 1000 tombs in a high position, while the wells are lower down, so we think there is high possibility that the water in the wells has been contaminated from the tombs," Bang said.

He added that he and local residents called for the construction of a running water source and asked both the provincial and municipal People's Committee to inspect the quality of groundwater being used.

"We have had no response from them so far", he said.

Meanwhile, Chinh said that the municipal People's Committee had proposed to close the cemetery and relocate it, but this had failed to happen. "The Phu Yen People's Committee needs to be more involved with inspections in order to ensure that the nearly 670 people of the commune can live a safe life," said Chinh.

Japan donates to charity efforts in Vietnam

A Japanese fund has given US$100,000 to the Ministry of Public Security to support efforts to alleviate natural disaster consequence and poverty.

According to the Nhan Dan (People) daily newspaper, the sum was handed over to the ministry’s charity fund in Hanoi on January 16 in the presence of Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Yasuaki Tanizaki and Deputy Minister of Public Security Dang Van Hieu.

This is part of activities in the 2013 Vietnam-Japan Friendship Year to celebrate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

The humanitarian fund of the Ministry of Public Security was set up last April to assist victims of natural disasters and the poor.

Illegal online gambling gang discovered

A gang of online gamblers who sent thousands of dollars overseas has been busted by police after three years of investigation, it was announced yesterday.

Criminal Police Department director Colonel Ho Sy Tien said seven alleged gamblers – two from Ha Noi and five from HCM City – were arrested and VND565 million (US$27,000) in cash was seized, along with a four-seater car, eight laptops, 19 mobile phones and 25 ATM.

Tien said police had yet to find out how the alleged gamblers had transferred money abroad to gamble. However, it was estimated to involve trillions of Viet Nam dong, he said.

Health reports required at border gates

As of next month, people who exit or enter the country will have to report their health conditions, either during declaration procedures or within seven days before passing through Viet Nam's border gates.

In addition to personal information, passengers will have to write down where they were in the seven days before arriving in Viet Nam, their contacts in the country, list of medications they take and any potential symptoms.

The move aims to prevent and control the spread of infectious diseases including flu, tuberculosis and hand-foot-mouth disease.

Groups to help poor mark Tet in HCM City

Local organisations and trade unions in HCM City are finalising plans to help disadvantaged groups of the society celebrate the upcoming Tet (Lunar New Year) Festival.

The city Fatherland Front Committee has worked with donors to prepare 5,400 gifts worth a total of VND2.7 billion (US$128,000) for poor households in 15 wards and communes deemed poor.

The committee has also mobilised organisations and philanthropists to donate instant noodles, macaroni, sausages and other items valued at VND120 million to provide to 2,000 old people and orphans in the city's eight social welfare centres.

The committee will organise trips to present gifts to the city's poor from January 19-30 as Tet will fall on February 10 this year.

As of Monday, most district-level trade unions in the city have completed a list of disadvantaged workers in order to support them to enjoy Tet.

The listed workers belong to companies that have been dissolved, have temporarily stopped operating or are unable to give Tet bonuses to their workers.

Nguyen Thi Anh Thu, chairwoman of the Cu Chi District Trade Union, said: "We update everyday the information about the lives and work of workers in companies facing difficulties. We try not to leave out any those who are in difficult circumstances."

The Cu Chi District Trade Union plans to organise a Tet celebration for poor workers on February 6 and give 300 gifts worth VND300,000 each to disadvantaged workers. The Thu Duc District Trade Union will also present 1,400 gifts for disadvantaged workers for the Tet festival.

Leading officials of the city Party Committee will visit and present gifts to workers in difficulty in the city's industrial parks and export processing zones and districts between January 23 to February 7.

They will also attend Tet celebrations for workers who are unable to go to their homes in other localities for the festival.

The city now has more than 250,000 workers in its industrial parks and export processing zones, 70 per cent of whom are from other provinces.

The HCM City Industrial Park and Export Processing Zone Authority (HEPZA) will present 1,500 gifts for workers who cannot go home for Tet.

Meanwhile, HEPZA's Trade Union has given 6,000 bus tickets for workers to return home family reunion during Tet.

VNN/VOV/VNS