HIV infections decline in recent years

A December 27 conference in Haiphong City has heard more than 206,000 people in Vietnam are currently living with HIV, of whom over 59,000 have developed full blown AIDS.

The conference, organised by the Health Ministry’s HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Department,, reviewed the implementation of a six-year World Bank-funded project running in 32 targeted Vietnamese provinces and cities.

The US$65.9-million project aimed to disseminate HIV/AIDS information among high-risk groups, provide applicable HIV patients with healthcare services and methadone therapy, and forestall the spread of the fatal disease.

Mai Xuan Phuong, Director of the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Department, said that despite a decline in new HIV infections, the number of patients from higher-risk groups like homosexuals, drug addicts, and prostitutes is on the increase.

Infection via sexual transmission is now more common than via blood transmission. Controlling the pandemic is no easy task, especially in northern mountainous provinces, he added.

More than 62,000 Vietnamese people have been killed by HIV/AIDS. It is predicted that 0.29 percent of the total population will be living with HIV by 2015. The number of new HIV infections requiring antiretroviral treatment is expected to hit 140,000.

Many bridges earmarked for 2013

The Department of Transport will start construction on 16 transport infrastructure projects in the capital in the first quarter of 2013.

The projects include the linking of Tran Phu and Kim Ma roads, Ha Duc Bridge, Gom Bridge, Dam Mo Bridge and Hong Phu Bridge.

The department is also scheduled to finish Yen Vi Bridge on the Cat Linh-La Thanh-Lang Road and a pedestrian bridge to North Thang Long Industrial Zone before Lunar New Year in early February.

In 2013, the department will also focus on various World Bank-funded urban transport projects - and several sections of National Highway 1A.

Nguyen Van Khoi, deputy chairman of Ha Noi People's Committee, has also requested agencies to work with the Transport Department to quickly solve any problems arising.

Due attention paid to the poor

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh has emphasised reducing poverty rates and protecting social welfare are top priorities.

Mr Ninh made the commitment during a conference held by the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee in Hanoi on December 27. It was organised to review the movement in support of the poor.

He highlighted the movement’s significant results in 2012, saying it honours the Vietnamese traditions of mutual assistance and unity.

The Deputy PM affirmed the Party and State are always focused on improving people’s living standards, especially in regards to low-income earners.

He asked relevant ministries, agencies and localities to offer further support to those who are living below the poverty line.

In 2012, more than VND1,500 billion was mobilised on behalf of the poor. Charity programmes used nearly VND6,000 to build and repair houses for disadvantaged people. Poor people continue to receive certain preferential subsidies, including free health check-ups, low-priced medical insurance, and low-interest rate loans.

6,453 communes in 334 districts and towns linked to 17 provinces and cities have so far completed resettlement programmes for the poor. They have also concentrated on creating conditions enabling disadvantaged children to continue their education.

New progress on time-saving link to Sa Pa

A ceremony to mark the placement of the last concrete box girder connecting the two spans of the Lo River Bridge, one of the two longest bridges on the Noi Bai-Lao Cai Highway, was held in the northern province of Phu Tho yesterday.

When complete, the highway will reduce the travel time from Ha Noi to Sa Pa in Lao Cai Province to just 4-5 hours. It now takes 10 hours to reach the northern province.

The RoK's Posco E&C Company is in charge of constructing the 833.5m bridge, which cost VND1.8 trillion (US$85.7 million) to build.

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang asked authorities in the two provinces the bridge connects (Phu Tho and Vinh Phuc) to create favourable conditions for the investor and the contractor to clear the site and ensure that construction progresses in a timely fashion.

The 264-km highway will run through five cities and provinces: Ha Noi, Vinh Phuc, Phu Tho, Yen Bai and Lao Cai. Construction is funded by the Viet Nam Expressway Investment and Development Company with loans from the Asian Development Bank and includes two phases with an estimated cost of nearly VND20 trillion ($1.24 billion) for the first phase.

The Lo River Bridge is one of eight components of the highway's first phase. The project also includes a second long bridge over the Hong (Red) River.

The highway is part of the Kunming-Hai Phong Transport Corridor, a co-operation programme between six countries in the Greater Mekong sub-region.

Gallons of industrial wine uncovered

Ha Noi Market Watch impounded 5,000 bottles of wine which were produced using industrial alcohol at soft-drink and wine production units in the capital's Hoai Duc District.

Nguyen Thi Ngan, 32, is the owner of all the illegal products. She failed to give the necessary legal documentation proving the origin of the wine.

The market watch force fined her VND100 million (US$4,800). On the same day, the authorities also destroyed 400 cu.m of smuggled products, mostly beers, wines, candies, cakes and soft-drinks for a variety of violations including being of unclear origin, unsafe quality and breaking copyright regulations.

Over 2,000 tonnes of coal confiscated

More than 2,000 tonnes of illegally obtained coal have been seized by police in the Hoanh Bo District of northern Quang Ninh Province. The discovery was made in the forest of Thac Cat Village covering the communes of Hoa Binh and Tan Dan.

The owners of the coal remain unknown. The confiscated coal will be sold, according to Senior Lieutenant Colonel Pham Quoc Dan.

Ha Noi cops seize three for internet fraud

Police in Ha Noi's Dong Da District have questioned three people in custody for allegedly cheating more than 500 people over the internet and stealing over VND7 billion (US$336,000) from them.

The alleged fraudsters, aged between 27 and 29, were the managers and chief accountant at the Thang Long Technology Investment and Consulting JSC.

This company allegedly established many fake virtual e-stores and offered to sell them to clients. Branches were also opened in the northern provinces of Bac Giang, Lang Son, Thai Nguyen, Hai Phong and other localities where people paid to own an e-store.

Clients sent money via a banking account.

VNN/VOV/VNS