Poor-quality bottled water sold to HCM City schools

Many schools in HCM City are offering non-standard drinking water to their students after buying cheaper brands from unqualified bottled-water companies.

A report by Sai Gon Giai Phong (Liberated Sai Gon) said that instead of buying trusted brands like Vinh Hao, Aquafina or La Vie, the schools were found supplying brands that were counterfeits of the former, with names like Vinh Huong, Aquataly and Lavita.

Fees for bottled water are among the many fees that schools charge parents. For students who attend school a half day, the fee is VND250,000 a month, and for those who stay a full day, it is VND540,000.

A teacher at one school in District 3 said that even though the price of VND22,000 – VND26,000 for a 20-litre bottle was reasonable, the school was buying individual bottles for VND10,000.

Another teacher revealed that suppliers of non-standard water were offering 25-30 per cent discounts to school employees responsible for signing contracts with bottled-water companies.

According to the newspaper's report, the teacher said that one 20-litre bottle typically sold for VND10,000, but the supplier offered a 30 per cent discount. With such a cut in price, the quality of the water was questionable.

One dealer of a nonstandard bottled-water brand said the water was taken from water fountains and treated by active coal and ultra-violet rays.

Hoang Dinh Ngan, a dealer of standard bottled water, said that water treated by proper hygienic methods would never be sold at such low prices.

A tester at HCM City's Department of Health pointed out that many unqualified companies were processing water under very simple procedures. They were able to sell their products to buyers by using names similar to well-known brands.

World Harmony Run-Vietnam 2012 launched

The “World Harmony Run-Vietnam 2012” opened in Hanoi on November 5, sending a message of peace to international friends.

The event is organized by the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO), in co-ordination with the global World Harmony Run (WHR) organization.

Attending the launching ceremony were VUFO President Vu Xuan Hong, WHR director Salil Wilson, representatives from the Japanese and Czech embassies, as well as international friends and many young Vietnamese people.

Addressing the event, VUFO President Hong said that Vietnam highly appreciates the WHR and its message and aspirations of peace for people all over the world.

He said he also believes that the light of peace will spread to all the nations across the world.

WHR director Salil Wilson quoted from a speech about peace by Sri Chinmoy, the founder of the WHR, “There shall come a time when this world of ours will be flooded with peace. Who is going to bring about this radical change? It will be you, you and your brothers and sisters. You and your oneness-heart will spread peace throughout the length and breadth of the world.”

He also expressed his admiration to late President Ho Chi Minh, while pointing out the great significance of peace in Vietnam after so many years of struggle for national independence.

On the occasion, the WHR presented the World Harmony Dreamer Award to VUFO President Hong.

After the launch ceremony, Vietnamese and international delegates held a torch-light procession to the Chu Van An secondary school in Hanoi and met with teachers and students there.

On November 5-8, the WHR delegation is scheduled to visit an orphanage and some cultural attractions in the northern province of Quang Ninh.

WHR members and delegates have run over 45,000 miles through more than 100 countries so far this year. The run was founded by Indian Sri Chinmoy based on the simple idea that peace and harmony begin in the heart of each individual and from there it will spread to the family, the community and the world at large.

ADB to fund HIV fight in Laos, VN

The Asian Development Bank is providing Laos and Viet Nam US$20 million in grants and loans to help prevent the spread of HIV in 23 border provinces where the risks are growing due to increased population movement and commercial activities along economic corridors.

"As people and products move more freely across borders, so do communicable diseases, such as HIV," Emiko Masaki, social sector economist in the bank's Southeast Asia Department, said.

"This project will help in strengthening the HIV response systems of Viet Nam and Laos to protect their most vulnerable populations with information, skills, supplies, and access to quality healthcare services."

Border regions have some of the poorest and most isolated populations with limited access to health services and limited knowledge of HIV risks.

New cross-border roads, together with the mushrooming of hotels, casinos, and other businesses in border areas, have increased the threat of HIV infection.

Adult infection rates in Viet Nam and Laos are modest at an estimated 0.4 per cent and 0.2 per cent of the respective populations, but the disease has spread to all districts in Viet Nam and is rising in border zones.

Being surrounded by countries with higher HIV prevalence has created a high-risk environment for Laos.

Many previous efforts to combat the spread of HIV have been targeted at key populations at higher risk in major urban areas, but resource constraints have limited interventions in more isolated areas.

The project will help the two countries strengthen national HIV planning and management, upgrade the knowledge and skills of health workers providing HIV-related services to remote communities, and scale up behavioural change campaigns on HIV risks amongst at-risk groups, including those in border districts.

A technical assistance grant of $1 million from Sweden's Cooperation Fund for Fighting HIV/AIDS in Asia and the Pacific, to be administered by the ADB, will strengthen HIV response at the regional level through knowledge and information sharing and joint pilot activities for HIV services in border areas.

This project is expected to be implemented over five years at a cost of $21.9 million with the governments of Laos and Viet Nam respectively contributing $500,000 and $1.3 million.

Man receives death sentence for murder

The People's Court in northern Tuyen Quang Province has sentenced Dang Huu Hanh, 34, to death for murder and robbery.

The court also gave his companion Tran Van Ha, 21, a sentence of life imprisonment for the same offences.

Under the indictment, Hanh and Ha are said to have robbed a gold shop on April 10 because they needed money to return a loan borrowed from a bank.

Local police caught Hanh red-handed and arrested Ha after a one-day hunt.

The owner of the gold shop, who was allegedly stabbed in the chest by Hanh, died after eight-days in hospital.

The court ordered Hanh and Ha to pay VND474 million (US$22,700) in compensation to the victim's family.

Khmer homes prepare for power up

About 19,000 Khmer homes in southern Tra Vinh Province will have access to electricity this month under the first phase of a project backed by the Asian Development Bank.

The project, worth VND228 billion (US$11 million), started in July, 2011, aims to improve socio-economic growth in remote areas in the province.

Under the second phase of the project, about 8,000 more Khmer homes will be switched on.

Gout medicine suspended from circulation

Sales of a brand of gout and rheumatism medicine have been suspended because of its substandard dissolving properties.

The drug Celetop (200 mg) is made by Indian Amtec Health Care Private Co Ltd and imported by the HCM City Health Import Export Corporation, administration deputy director Nguyen Viet Hung said.

The medicine's use-by date is October 15, 2014.

The HCM City Drug Testing Institute announced results of tests on the medicine and Drug Administration of Viet Nam ordered departments of health to inform distribution offices about the suspension and to supervise its withdrawal from the market.

Ensuring safety and security at sea

Representatives from four countries in the Gulf of Thailand region gathered for a conference in Hanoi on November 15 to discuss measures to ensure security at sea.

As a sponsor of the event, which will last until November 9, US Ambassador to Vietnam, David Shear, also attended the conference.

The meeting aimed to offer an opportunity for law enforcement agencies in Thai Gulf countries to exchange information, share experiences and boost cooperation in ensuring safety and security on the sea in the interests of each country.

Delegates from Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia and Vietnam stressed the need to strengthen links among the four countries, conduct joint patrols, establish search and rescue teams, and enlist the armed forces to cope with incidents and emergencies at sea.

Conference participants will also present initiatives and proposals to increase the effectiveness of cooperation and law enforcement agencies in the Gulf of Thailand.

VNN/VOV/VNS