Regional congress discusses poison control measures


More than 300 local and international toxicologists discussed poison control and prevention at the Asia-Pacific Association of Medical Toxicology's 9th annual Scientific Congress that opened yesterday, Nov 17, in Ha Noi.

"The congress provides a joint platform for scientists to compare methodologies and discuss poison prevention and control," said Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Xuyen during her opening remarks at the event.

The three-day symposium, Collaboration against poisoning: from regional experience to global vision, was co-organised by Bach Mai General Hospital and the Asia-Pacific Association of Medical Toxicology (APAMT).

"Clinical toxicology has increasingly played a vital role in the management of poison control and prevention globally," said President of APAMT Winai Wananukul. "The congress hopes to create a multi-professional education course that will provide supplemental instruction to young inspectors, physicians, pharmacists and nurses within the region."

According to Bach Mai Hospital's Poison Control Centre (PCC), the facility has treated between 1,700-1,800 patients each year. Fatality rates have been reduced from 8.5 per cent in 1998 to 1.7 per cent in 2009. The centre has trained more than 1,000 staff members and managed several campaigns to raise community awareness about poison prevention.

"Acute poisoning is a common problem in Viet Nam and about one-fourth to one-third of the patients admitted to emergency rooms are suffering from some types of poisoning," said former PCC Director Nguyen Thi Du.

"Common poisoning cases in Viet Nam include snakebites, pesticides and drug overdose," said Du, "Early diagnosis will help decrease their mortality rates."


Japan assists to build boarding house for handicapped children


Photo: VOV
The Japanese Government has committed to provide a grant worth US$95,476, to build a two-storey boarding house for centre to raise handicapped children in Dong Hoi City, Quang Binh province.

The commitment was confirmed at a signing ceremony at the Japanese embassy in Hanoi on November 18.   

The centre for handicapped children will include youths aged 7-15 years old with audio-lingual and movement detects. The centre is providing training course in the clothing industry for 20 children, the embroidery industry for another 20 children, and the making incense for 25 more.

However, the facilities are still lacking, it doesn’t meet demand of rehabilitation for the children. At present, there are 36 children staying in a boarding house of the centre, however, it only has three rooms, therefore, 10 children must stay in one room. In 2009, the centre had to reject 70 handicapped children due to lack of facilities.


Berlin borough signs cooperation agreement with Hanoi district


Lichtenberg borough will become a sister of Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem district under a memorandum of understanding signed in Berlin on November 17 by Lichtenberg’s Mayor Christina Emmrich and the Secretary of the Party Committee of Hoan Kiem Hoang Cong Khoi.

Under the agreement, the two sides will promote close cooperation in preparation for their connection. They will also focus their cooperation on information and experience exchange, especially in urban planning and development, natural and environmental protection, real estate management and trade centre development in the 2010-2012 period.

In the field of education, the two districts agreed to assist the relationship between Lichtenberg’s Alexander Puschkin school and Hoan Kiem’s Viet Duc high school.

The signing of the agreement was part of Mr Khoi’s working visit to Germany.

At the signing ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador Do Hoa Binh highlighted the important role of Mayor Emmrich in helping the Vietnamese community of about 4,000 people in Lichtenberg – the largest Vietnamese community in Berlin or even Germany.

Mr Binh also spoke of these Vietnamese expatriates’ efforts to integrate into local society and their considerable contributions to the local economy and culture. Many of their children excel in studies and receive high appreciation from Germans.


Vietnamese goods prove a hit in rural areas


The Business Studies and Assistance Centre (BSA) has held 52 trade fairs in various rural provinces with the participation of 734 Vietnamese companies since the programme began.

To continue this success of the 2nd period of the campaign to bring Vietnamese goods to rural areas, BSA will hold new trade fairs showcasing Vietnamese goods in the provinces of Binh Phuoc, Can Tho, Dong Thap and Bac Lieu. About 50 businesses will be involved in the programme. 

Cao Tien Vi, General Director of Sai Gon Paper Corporation said the campaign helps farmers access high-quality products and businesses to approach new markets.


Vietnam recognised high biodiversity nation


Vietnam has been recognized as a nation with high biodiversity and is one of the countries on the list of priorities for global conservation, said Dr. Pham Anh Cuong, Deputy Director of the Biodiversity Conservation Department at an international symposium on biodiversity in Hanoi on November 17.

The diversity in terrains, ecosystems, scenery and climate creates the diversity of the whole ecosystem, species and gene sources in Vietnam, he said.
Participants in the symposium agreed that to strengthen biodiversity conservation in the 2011-2015 period, authorised agencies should continue completing a legal framework for the work and building a national strategy on biodiversity conservation by 2020.

The experts also emphasized the need to continue boosting international cooperation in the field through technical assistance, technological transfer and information sharing activities.
In the terrestrial ecosystem, Vietnam has defined over 13,200 species of flora and more than 10,000 species of fauna. More than 3,000 species of organisms in water have been found in submerged land areas.
The country’s sea with 20 special ecosystems is a living environment for over 11,000 species of marine creatures.


Course promotes trade union activities


A training course on social dialogue and trade union activities in multinational enterprises was organised in the Red River delta province of Bac Ninh on November 16-17.

Twenty trade union officials from Bac Ninh, Hung Yen and Vinh Phuc provinces and Hanoi attended the course, jointly held by the Bac Ninh provincial Labour Union, the Department of External Relations under the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour, and the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers Unions (ICEM).

The learners were provided with updated knowledge and discussed a number of issues on how to analyse a company’s situation and trade union, basic labour standards of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and social dialogue, and the United Nations Compact and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.

They were given the skills to hold dialogues, negotiate and sign collective labour contracts and supervise the implementation of international labour standards at workplaces.

The trainees also shared experience in trade union activities and debated plans of action to promote social dialogue and build healthy labour relations in multinational enterprises.


VNN/VOV/VNS