Dengue fever cases rising in HCM City

There has been no reduction in the number of dengue fever cases in HCM City even after preventive medicine centres in districts were instructed to focus on preventive measures, said Le Truong Giang, deputy head of the city's Department of Health.

The city recorded 2,054 dengue fever cases last month, an increase of 23 per cent over September.

HCM City is the city with the highest number of dengue fever patients in the southern region, with 450 patients per week, Giang said yesterday, Nov 5, at a meeting held to review measures taken to fight the disease last month.

At the Peadiatric Hospital No.2, more than 100 children with dengue fever are being treated currently, an increase of nearly 70 patients over the same period of last year.

A Health Department report also said that the numbers of children with the hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) and respiratory diseases also increased last month.

Nearly 500 children were infected with the HFMD in October, an increase of 29 per cent over September, said Dr. Nguyen Dac Tho, deputy head of the city's Preventive Medicine Centre. Most of them were children under five years old, he said.

As many as 3,482 children were hospitalised with respiratory problems last month, Tho added.

Giang asked preventive medicine centres to take note of problems and step up preventive measures so that less number of children contract the diseases in the coming months.

Seminar on hunger eradication and poverty reduction for ethnic minorities

A seminar on implementation of the hunger eradication and poverty reduction policy for ethnic minorities and mountainous areas was held in Hanoi, on November 5, by the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Mass Mobilisation and the Committee for Ethnic Minorities. 

The participants said that the hunger eradication and poverty reduction campaign needs to be based on socio-economic and defense development and a powerful politic system. It should mobilize community, particularly the poor in overcoming their difficulties.  

The policy and measures should be carried out scientifically and suitably within each locality and area, they added. 

The nation’s rate of the poor has decreased from 22 percent in 2005 to10 percent in 2010. However, the country still has 62 districts with poverty rate over 50 percent, of which 90 percent are ethnic minorities. 

Nguyen Trong Co from the Committee for Ethnic Minorities said that the policy and research on ethnic minorities should be stepped up and information exchange promoted. We need to promote the training of ethnic minority staff from central to local, and solve the problems relevant to the minority people in a timely fashion.

Doctors save life of smallest newborn baby

The smallest baby yet delivered at Ha Noi's Bach Mai Hospital is in good health, reports Paediatric Department director Nguyen Tien Dung.

The baby – born at 28 weeks – weighed about 700 grammes when she was born two months ago. The baby, whose mother died, had suffered septicaemia and respiratory failure.

Fourth grader returns $1,200 to teacher

Fourth grader Phan Viet Han of central Quang Nam Province's Dien Ban District has returned a wallet with VND23 million (US$1,170) to its owner - his teacher - Huynh Thi My, Han's teacher.

The boy found the wallet on Monday. His grateful teacher says her pupil is from a poor family.

International franchising expo opens in HCM City

More than 150 companies are displaying their products and services at an international exhibition on franchising that opened in HCM City on Thursday.

The exhibitors at the Viet Nam Shop and Franchise 2010 are from South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, the US, Viet Nam and other countries and are in shop design and decoration, food and beverages, beauty and healthcare, education and other fields.

Also on Thursday it featured a seminar on franchising in Viet Nam.

The venue of three-day event, organised by Vinexad, Korean exhibition firm COEX and Korea International Trade Association, is the Sai Gon Exhibition and Convention Center in District 7.

HCM City's Zen Plaza opens after interior refit

The Zen Plaza shopping centre re-opens today in HCM City's District 5 after a month of interior renovation.

The new Zen, designed by the US-based BWA Architects, now has 107 international and local brands and 68 shops featuring clothing, cosmetics and accessories.

On the inauguration today, Zen Plaza holds a fashion show parading 100 latest designs by Vietnamese designers.

Phone companies told to disconnect spammers

The Ha Noi Information and Communications Department has instructed four telecommunication enterprises to cut off 41 mobile phone subscribers for violating advertising regulations.

The subscribers used Mobifone, Viettel, Vinaphone and Electricity of Viet Nam.

The enterprises have been told to report their response to the department before Friday, November 19.

April 27 officially Vietnam Architecture Day

The Prime Minister has decided that April 27 will be the annual Vietnam Architecture Day to begin on April 27, 2011.

It is hoped that the commemoration of this day will draw attention to architects, people and managers in the planning stages.

It also aims to encourage investors and social organisations to take part in and develop Vietnam’s architecture and talented architects to make more contributions to the nation.

VNN/VOV/VNS