Floating toilet built for workers of popular floating market

A floating toilet has been set up on the Hau River in southern Can Tho City for those who work and visit the Cai Rang Floating Market, a popular tourist site.

The toilet will help to reduce water pollution in the area, which had been a frequent complaint among tourists.

Electricity and water supply for the 24sq.m toilet is supplied by a solar system installed on its rooftop.

The toilet waste is treated directly in a bottom tank by a certified treatment system supplied by technology company PETECH.

The toilet, which costs VND250 million (US$1,200), was developed by a group of students at HCM City Polytechnic University and funded by PETEC and international cement producer Holcim Viet Nam.

Free medicine for HIV/AIDS sufferers

HIV/AIDSHIV/AIDS sufferers in the capital and neighbouring provinces can receive free medical treatment at the Infectious Disease Department of Ha Noi's Dong Da Hospital.

The free treatment is being provided under a joint collaboration project on HIV prevention and care carried out by the US and Viet Nam since 2002. The programme includes provision of anti-retro viral (ARV) medicine and other medicines for HIV-infected people free of charge.

The department has provided treatment to 881 sufferers, among them 770 are receiving ARV medicine.

Receiving their first case of HIV/AIDS in 1997, the department has become one of the country's leading healthcare centres for treating the disease, which is causing growing concerns in Viet Nam. The department has allocated 20 beds for HIV/AIDS carriers who are suffering from infections.

The Infectious Disease Department's director, Dr Pham Ba Hien, said cases that do not respond to treatment will undergo further tests to identify the cuase of disease's resistance to treatment.

"So in this case we can alter a patient's prescription," said Hien.

National and international experts often exchange knowledge with the department's staff to help them improve work on diagnosing different cases.

Staff at the hospital were also trained to be friendly and sympathetic with the patients, said Hien.

"These are qualities that are important to every healthcare worker and especially vital for those dealing with HIV/AIDS victims," he said.

A hotline for HIV/AIDS carriers and their families is available at 04 3511 8752.

National human resources database to help forecast labour demands

A plan to develop a database on the nation's human resources that aims to help forecast demand for workers in various sectors has been approved by the Prime Minister in Decision 601/QD-TTg.

The plan aims to offer information and forecasts about human resources at national and provincial levels, divided by sectors and expertise to help the Government, ministries, State agencies and enterprises in drafting plans and policies on human resources training and investment.

Work on the plan will start this year and is expected to by complete by 2013-14, with the database up and running by 2015.
The database will use information from the General Statistics Office and the National Centre for Labour Market Information and Forecast, as well as statistics from international organisations and data from ministries and State agencies at central and provincial levels.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment will be chiefly responsible for collecting the data from relevant agencies.

EVN increases in power-supply to the south

State-run power supplier Electricity of Viet Nam (EVN) said it will use the 500-kV north-south power transmission line to ease power shortages in the south of the country.

High demand for power supplies in southern Viet Nam will be met by diverting more power from northern and central areas to the south. EVN has estimated that 1800 MW of extra power are needed to ensure demand.

Shortages in southern Viet Nam are due to high power demands in the country's economic hub. Southern Viet Nam uses more than 50 per cent of the country's total power supplies. In addition, difficulties in land clearance have delayed expansion of power supply infrastructure in the south.

EVN said they were ready to deal with any difficulties related to power supply. All reservoirs and power stations including the Hoa Binh and Son La hydro-power plants are running at full capacity, said EVN.

EVN added that rolling power cuts across the country aim to ensure power demand during the summer of up to 380 kWh with capacity of about 17,600 MW.

Belgian tourist drowns off central beach: police

A foreign tourist drowned when he with a group of friends who were on holidays were sea-bathing at My Khe beach in the central city of Da Nang today, a police source said.

The deceased was later identified as 41-year-old Mollo Francois hailing from Belgium.

The incident took place at dawn when Francois was washed away by strong currents, local police said.

They added his friends were unable to save his life at the time of the drowning.

His body was found and brought onto beach 5 hours later.

In late March, two South Korean men drowned after they went into the sea for swimming at Nghinh Phong beach of the southern province of Vung Tau.

Slaughterhouses come under inspection

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on Wednesday started a 10-day inspection of slaughter houses in seven northern cities and provinces.

Inspections will focus on quarantining, quarantine certification, fee collection and environment protection in slaughterhouses.
There are nearly 17,130 slaughterhouses in the country.

Kindergarteners on strike over food

All of the teachers at a Ho Chi Minh City kindergarten went on strike Thursday to protest the school’s repeated provision of decayed food for them and its kids.

School managers then had to ask their relatives to look after some of its 50 kids as the five childminders refused to work, while parents decided to bring home the others.

The kindergartners told Tuoi Tre that the school, ABC which is located in District 12, had continually fed them and the children with rotten meat and vegetables despite their regular complaints and even objections.

“We could not stand anymore when the kids just kept refusing to eat, as the food was truly awful,” they protested.

Many parents felt really upset because the school failed to properly feed their children, they added.

The teachers went on strike because of summer break schedule issues, Nguyen Thi Bich Thao, owner of the kindergarten, said, passing the rotten food buck to the school’s meal suppliers.

They have not returned to work since the five are unable to reach any compromise with the school.

ABC is still waiting for a renewal of its business license after the preschool changed hands last October.

Unilever relaunches grant for health

Unilever Viet Nam Foundation yesterday officially relaunched its 2012 annual grant of VND5 billion ($143,000) for health and hygiene projects.

This programme provides financial support to initiatives focusing on community health and hygiene, especially for rural and remote areas.

The programme has injected more than VND33 billion into 93 projects, benefiting nearly one million people.

Torrential rainfall floods city streets, uproots trees

Several trees were uprooted in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday afternoon after torrential rainfall accompanied with strong winds lashed the city, causing flooding and traffic chaos along many streets.

Fallen trees could be seen along the East West Highway, Tran Quang Nghi Street in Binh Chanh District, along Nguyen Van Linh Highway in District 8 and in Binh Chanh District. Several trees fell across roads, blocking off traffic.

Workers moved quickly to clear the fallen trees from roads, but traffic jams still occurred on many streets and on the Nguyen Van Linh Highway until almost 8pm.

Torrential rainfall inundated Kinh Duong Vuong Street in Binh Tay District, Pham Hung, Tung Thien Vuong and Trinh Quang Nghi in District 8, and Ba Hom in District 6, causing traffic jams at some spots.

Besides, the accompanying strong wind blew off the roofs of nine houses in District 8 and Binh Chanh District.

In related news, a flash flood in Lung Muoi Hamlet in Quang Thanh Commune of Nguyen Binh District in the northern province of Cao Bang on the same day left one dead and one missing.

They were a father and his 9-year-old son, whose house was swept away by the gushing floodwaters. The father was found dead amongst a branch of a tree, 500 metres from his house, while the young boy is still reported missing.

Local authorities continue to search for the missing boy.

Lorry plunges down cliff killing three

Three people died after a lorry plunged down a cliff in central Quang Binh Province's Tuyen Hoa District yesterday morning.
The lorry was travelling along National Highway 15 to central Ha Tinh Province at the time of the accident.

After careering off the highway, the lorry came to rest 30-35 metres from the road.

The cause of the accident is unknown.

ILO to continue employment support

VietNamNet Bridge – A 2012-16 programme of co-operation between Viet Nam and the International Labour Organisation (ILO), was signed by representatives of relevant agencies in a ceremony held in Ha Noi yesterday, May 24.

According to Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Pham Thi Hai Chuyen, the programme's aim was to promote sustainable employment in Viet Nam, which meant effective work in a safe and fair environment.

It would be developed based on the achievements that Viet Nam had made in co-operation with the ILO in previous years and the Government's priorities in employment and social protection.

Chuyen urged relevant agencies involved and the ILO to develop plans for the programme's implementation with a focus on supporting the development of labour codes and the National Programme for Employment for the 2011-12 period. The latter's focus would centre around employment for youth and for rural workers, activities to enhance harmonious working relationships at enterprises, and those to help the implementation of the Government's social protection strategies.

She said the programme would be a key tool for the ILO and relevant tripartite partners to develop co-operation plans and mobilise resources in the most effective ways for promoting sustainable employment in Viet Nam.

VNN/VOV/VNS/SGGP/Tuoi Tre