Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Petr Fiala has arrived in Hanoi, beginning an official visit to Vietnam from April 20 to 22 at the invitation of his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh.

The trip is the first to Asia by Fiala since taking office at the end of 2021 and the first of a head of the Czech Government to Vietnam in 15 years. Given sound growth of the countries’ traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation, it reflects the Vietnamese and Czech leaders' appreciation of and desire to strengthen the bilateral relations.

As scheduled, the Czech leader will hold talks with PM Chinh, witness the signing of bilateral cooperation pacts, pay courtesy call to President Vo Van Thuong, and attend a Vietnam-Czech Republic business forum.

Photo exhibition marks 50 years of Vietnam-France diplomatic relations

The French Embassy in Vietnam, the French Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City, and the French Institute in Vietnam on April 19 opened a photo exhibition on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and Vietnam.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Emmanuelle Pavillon Grosser, Consul General of France in Ho Chi Minh City, said that the exhibition aims to honour the French-Vietnamese friendship through photography.

Nearly 20 photos on display show the crossed looks of Vietnamese and French professional and amateur photographers.

The exhibition will run until September 4, 2023 outside the French Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City at No. 6, Le Duan street, District 1.

Vietnam, Belarus step up engagements in emergencies response

Politburo member and Minister of Public Security To Lam on April 19 held talks with a visiting high-level delegation from the Belarusian Ministry of Emergencies led by Minister Vadim Sinyavsky.

Welcoming the guests, Lam underscored that Vietnam always values its traditional friendship and cooperation with Belarus. In recent years, the countries’ collaboration in politics, economy, culture, society, defence, and security have been increasingly fortified, contributing to their stable and sustainable development, he said.

Praising Belarus’s progress in socio-economic growth and political stability, the minister expressed his confidence in the Eastern European nation’s further development across all aspects.

Being well aware of unpredicted and severe damage caused by natural disasters and climate change, the Vietnamese Party and Government have issued many policies in natural disaster prevention and control, as well as intensified police’s participation in related search and rescue activities, Lam noted.

The official informed his guests that the Vietnamese people’s police force has therefore actively improved its capacity and learned from foreign partners, with its cooperation with the Belarusian ministry obtaining many important results.

At their talks, the two ministries agreed that immediately after their signing of a cooperation pact, they will build specific plans to implement it. The sides are set to enhance their exchange of delegations at all levels for cooperation and experience sharing on emergencies warning, prevention, and response; exchange experience in building a center for early warning of fire and natural disasters; and introduce, share, transfer technology, and link their production of modern firefighting and rescue means.

Archives, photos of Vietnamese Buddhist architectures displayed in Hanoi

Nearly 300 archives and photos featuring the most outstanding features of Vietnamese Buddhist architecture are being exhibited at the Việt Nam National Museum of History (VNMH), 25 Tông Đản Street, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hà Nội.

The exhibits are from three surveys conducted across the nation by the Central Culture Department of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in collaboration with the Institute of Religious Studies, the Institute of Monuments Conservation, the VNMH, as well as many monks, nuns, and specialists.

They also include documents preserved by the Vietnam National Museum of History and the Institute of Monuments Conservation.

The exhibition, entitled Kiến Trúc Phật Giáo Việt Nam – Thống Nhất Trong Đa Dạng (Vietnamese Buddhist Architecture – Unity in Diversity), is divided into three sections; Buddhist architectural images and artefacts currently kept at the VNMH; typical features of Vietnamese Buddhist architecture; and images of Vietnamese Buddhist architecture built in recent years.

Since Buddhism was introduced to Việt Nam more than 2,000 years ago, many Buddhist facilities such as pagodas, towers or monasteries have been constructed across Việt Nam.

Over time, Buddhist architecture has become diverse in different regions and manners of worship. Still, they have always contained and inherited the beauties of traditional national architecture, creating an overall religious picture of unity in diversity.

The exhibition runs until May 15. 

Just energy transition inevitable for sustainable development: diplomat

Energy transition, environmental protection and climate change response are the inevitable paths to achieving sustainable development, affirmed Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Vietnam’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN).

Giang made the statement at an April 19 conference titled ‘Architecting Financing for the Energy Transition in Asia and the Pacific – Lessons from Indonesia’s and Vietnam’s Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETPs)’ – a side event of the 2023 UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Forum on Financing for Development. Co-organised by the permanent missions of Vietnam and Indonesia and the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the conference saw the participation of nearly 80 delegates from countries, the private sector, and UN organisations.

In his remarks, the Vietnamese diplomat said Vietnam has joined international partners to set up JETP, initially mobilising 15.5 billion USD within the next three to five years to serve Vietnam's energy transition efforts.

Vietnam’s JETP implementation process, which faces myriad challenges in terms of ensuring energy security and fairness, has prompted the Southeast Asian nation to amend its laws and policies on socio-economic and technology to meet associated requirements, Giang noted.

He informed participants that Vietnam, however, is carrying out necessary measures serving JETP including codifying the Political Declaration on establishing the JETP; and establishing a secretariat and devising a resource mobilisation plan with the participation of the entire political system and other stakeholders.

The ambassador called on international partners to fulfill their commitments and provide resources and finance for energy transition – such as non-refundable grants, capacity building support, sharing of advances, research into the potential of renewable energy, and assistance and investment in programmes and projects that contribute to sustainable development so that Vietnam can achieve its climate goals.

Photo exhibition marks 50 years of Vietnam-France diplomatic relations

The French Embassy in Vietnam, the French Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City, and the French Institute in Vietnam on April 19 opened a photo exhibition on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and Vietnam.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Emmanuelle Pavillon Grosser, Consul General of France in Ho Chi Minh City, said that the exhibition aims to honour the French-Vietnamese friendship through photography.

Nearly 20 photos on display show the crossed looks of Vietnamese and French professional and amateur photographers.

The exhibition will run until September 4, 2023 outside the French Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City at No. 6, Le Duan street, District 1.

People-to-people exchange between Vietnam, Netherlands enhanced

Hanoi-based Thuy Loi University and Vietnam-Netherlands Friendship and Cooperation Association on April 19 organsied a ceremony to celebrate the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The celebration was attended by the Ambassador of the Netherlands to Vietnam, Kees van Baar, representatives of ministries, sectors, management agencies, research and training institutions, the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations, and Dutch businesses in Vietnam.

At the celebration, participants recalled their memories which have contributed to the cooperation outcomes between Vietnam and the Netherlands and look forward to further cooperation.

On this occasion, the university and the association organised a technical seminar on irrigation, disaster prevention and control, and climate change which aims to summarise and exchange technical solutions for coast protection.

NA Chairman meets Vietnamese community in Cuba

National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue on April 19 (Cuba time) met staff members of the Vietnamese Embassy and representatives from the Vietnamese community in Cuba, during his official visit to the Caribbean island nation.

Ambassador Le Thanh Tung briefed the leader on the situation of the community there, affirming that investment is a bright spot in the Vietnam-Cuba relations. Vietnamese enterprises have approached the market, holding the top position among the countries and territories from the Asia-Pacific region having investment activities in Cuba.

The diplomat said the embassy also actively promotes cultural diplomacy and external information so that the Cuban people can better understand the solidarity between the two countries, Vietnam's renovation work, and support the views and stances of Vietnam on regional and international issues. 

Representatives of the Vietnamese investors in Cuba spoke about their efforts to overcome difficulties for successes in Cuba, while those of young people living and studying in Cuba said they always strive to actively study and participate in school activities and international cooperation.

NA Chairman Hue expressed his joy to revisit Cuba.

This is the highest-level visit of Vietnamese leaders to Cuba since 2022, he said, adding it takes place as the two countries are marking important anniversaries this year.

The leader expressed his hope that after the visit, cooperation between the two countries will be further promoted, creating momentum for their relations and favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community in Cuba.

He wished that the Embassy, the Vietnamese business community and students there will continue to thoroughly understand and be deeply aware of the special, exemplary, and faithful relationship between Vietnam and Cuba.

The leader highlighted that in the 64 years after the founding of the Republic of Cuba, Vietnam is proud to have been standing by its side for 63 years.

During the more than 35 years of Vietnam’s Doi moi ( renovation process),  Vietnam and Cuba have shared socio-economic development orientations because both countries have a common goal of building socialism. Cuba is updating its socio-economic development model and has made very positive changes.

On this occasion, Hue presented the token of books about President Ho Chi Minh's life and career to the Vietnamese Embassy and community in Cuba.

NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue visits Fidel Castro Ruz Centre

National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and his entourage on April 19 morning (Cuba time) visited the Fidel Castro Ruz Centre in Havana, within the framework of his official visit to Cuba.

The centre is a place to collect, store, preserve, and honour the legacy of the Cuban leader to research and popularise his ideological values.

Hue watched objects and images associated with Fidel's life and revolutionary cause, and was briefed about the value and Fidel Castro's special sentiment for Vietnam.

Writing in the guest book, he wrote: "To every Cuban and people in the world, leader Fidel Castro is forever an immortal symbol of revolutionary heroism,  strong will, steadfastly fighting for national independence and aspiration for freedom and happiness. In the heart of every Vietnamese, Fidel Castro is a noble image of a staunch revolutionary soldier, a great friend, and a close comrade with faith, love, admiration, and sympathy, just like the relations of special, faithful, pure and rare friendship and solidarity in the ties between the Parties, States and peoples of the two countries Vietnam and Cuba. Viva Cuba, Viva Vietnam!”.

Italy helps Vietnam improve statistical capacity

The project "Vietnam – Improvement of National Statistical System”, funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), was completed with all project targets achieved since its launch nearly five years ago.

Speaking at a ceremony in Hanoi on April 19 to review the project, General Director of the General Statistics Office (GSO) Nguyen Thi Huong said technical support via the project has enabled the GSO to improve its statistical capacity, thus producing and disseminating up-to-date and reliable information on important topics for the country and international community such as energy, environment, sustainability and climate change, as well as institutional building, information dissemination, and information technology and communications.

Italian Ambassador to Vietnam Antonio Alessandro said the project costing 650,000 EUR (710,000 USD) comprises technical assistance activities and non-refundable grant aimed at strengthening and developing the capacity of the GSO. It plays an important role in the Italian Government’s official assistance programme in Vietnam.

He hoped that the GSO will help the Vietnamese Government achieve better and more progressive green transformation, especially amid current changes.

Hanoi spares no expense to preserve cultural heritage sites

The capital city of Hanoi has spared no expense in renovating and promoting its heritage sites while seeking new ways for sustainable preservation.

Hanoi is home to more than 1,200 recognised relic sites, accounting for one-third of this type of valuable site nationally.

It can be said that Hanoi preserves a huge amount of cultural heritage for the country, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong said at a meeting held on April 18, aiming to review the implementation of a project on the preservation of Thang Long Imperial Citadel and the Co Loa relic site, and setting key tasks for 2023.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MoCST) recognised Hanoi’s investment in the restoration of relics, especially according to a resolution of the city’s Party Committee on spending more than 4 trillion VND (170 million USD) on 500 sites, he said, noting that it will contribute to preserving cultural heritages of the nation.

Over the recent years, the relics under the management of the department have been well restored and preserved to promote their values, according to Hanoi’s Department of Culture and Sports. As a result, since 2015, the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, the Temple of Literature and Hoa Lo Prison - the key sites of the city - have welcomed millions of domestic and foreign visitors each year.

Nguyen Thanh Quang, director of the Thang Long – Hanoi Heritage Conservation Centre, said as of April 15, 250,640 tourists had visited Thang Long Imperial Citadel and 135,379 toured Co Loa relic site. Revenue from fees and charges reached 5.62 billion VND, which equals 80% of the assigned plan. Especially, more than 300 delegates attending the 12th Vietnam-France decentralisation cooperation conference experienced a night tour to explore the Thang Long Imperial Citadel which was recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2010 - on the night of April 15.

Regarding Kinh Thien Palace – the most important building in the citadel, Hanoi has sought recommendations from international experts to preserve the relic.

The municipal People’s Council has issued resolutions relating to the approval or adjusting investment policies for a number of projects using the city’s public investment capital. Some examples are the conservation project of the archaeological site at 18 Hoang Dieu Street; upgrading of An Duong Vuong Temple and Ngoc Well; upgrading of Co Loa Communal House or Ngu Trieu Di Quy and My Chau Temple; and a project on building a temple dedicated to King Ngo Quyen.

Analytica int’l fair returns to HCM City

The seventh International Trade Fair for Laboratory Technology, Analysis, Biotechnology and Diagnostics (Analytica Vietnam 2023) opened in Ho Chi Minh City on April 19.

Organised by the National Agency for Science and Technology Information under the Ministry of Science and Technology, the event runs until April 21 at the Sai Gon Exhibition and Convention Centre (SECC).

It includes the participation of more than 200 well-known exhibitors  such as Agilent, Eppendorf, Merck, Metrohm, Mettler Toledo, Shimadzu, Thiet bi Sai Gon (SISC Group), Waters from 15 countries and territories including Germany, the US, Japan, the UK, France, Russia, the Republic of Korea, India and China.

Analytica is one of the activities to promote the development of the hi-tech market and help local organisations and individuals directly access foreign suppliers of modern equipment to avoid risks in commercial transactions and technology transfer.

More than 30 conferences on environmental analysis, food analysis and food quality improvement as well as pharmaceutical analysis and clinical diagnosis will be held on the sidelines of the fair.

Policy advisor awarded friendship medal for natural resources and environment efforts

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, empowered by the State President, on April 19 presented a Friendship Medal to Dr. Michael Parsons, a policy advisor to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE), in honour of his contributions to the sustainable development of the environmental sector and the friendship between Vietnam and Australia.

From 2007 to 2009, Parsons served as a senior technical advisor to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in implementing a project on mainstreaming poverty reduction goals, environmental policy, and plans for sustainable development.

From May 2011 – April 2016, he served as a volunteer for the Australian Government at the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment (ISPNRE) under the MoNRE. He provided theoretical foundations and international experience to support the development and completion of important documents, including the National Strategy on Environment Protection in 2011 – 2015, with a vision to 2020; and Resolution 24-NQ/TW dated June 3, 2013 of the Central Party Committee on responding to climate change, strengthening natural resources management and environmental protection.

He has supported ISPNRE in scientific research activities and in implementing international projects in the fields of environment protection and climate change adaptation.

The advisor, who was awarded an insignia “For the Natural Resources and Environment cause” in 2013, supported units of the MoNRE through consulting and providing feedback on related policies.

Parsons, for his part, expressed his honour and sincere thanks for the recognition. He stated that he will continue to contribute his knowledge as a policy advisor to the ministry, and provide theoretical foundations and international experience to support the building of environmental policies in Vietnam.

Over 17 million USD expected to be mobilised during Humanitarian Month

The Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRC) is striving to mobilise 400 billion VND (17 million USD) for humanitarian activities during the Humanitarian Month 2023 starting from May 1.

President of the VRC Central Committee Bui Thi Hoa said that the annual event aims to call on the community to join hands in humanitarian activities, thus popularising the kindness, and meaningful actions, towards building a community of solidarity and compassion.

The peak period of the programme will take place from May 8 (World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day) to May 19 (the birthday of President Ho Chi Minh – Founder and first Honourary President of the VRC), Hoa said.

Activities held during the month will also aim at changing public awareness of the humanitarian work.

A national-scale ceremony to launch the Humanitarian Month 2023 will be organised on April 23 at the Can Tho University in the Mekong Delta city of the same name, and broadcast live on channel VTV8 of the Vietnam Television.

Week of clean water and sanitation to be launched nationwide

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has called on people across the country to join hand in environment preservation, protect, and make use of water resources both economically and efficiently when it launches a national week of clean water and sanitation from April 29 to May 6.      

The Ministry requested that all localities organise online communication campaigns on social networks and at schools in order to raise awareness and change the behaviour in the community towards the use of clean water and environmental sanitation, in order to improve health and prevent disease.

At schools children should be guided on how to clean their hands with soap correctly and young people must be suggested to clean schools and streets regularly.

Over recent years, the issue of clean water and rural environmental sanitation has always been a Government concern, that has been actively responded to by local authorities and people.

By the end of 2021, about 90% of rural people accessed clean water,  94% of rural households had latrines, and 96% of schools and health stations were equipped with clean water supply and sanitation facilities.

Vietnam launches the national week of clean water and sanitation from April 29 to May 6 every year, along with World Water Day on March 22, and World Environment Day on June 5.

Vietnam and Cambodia hold sixth Defence Policy Dialogue

The sixth Vietnam-Cambodia Defence Policy Dialogue at a deputy ministerial level was held on April 19 at the Moc Bai International Border Gate in the southern province of Tay Ninh.

Vietnamese Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lt. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien and Secretary of State at the Cambodian Defence Ministry Neang Phat co-chaired the event.

During the dialogue, the two sides examined bilateral cooperation, as well as global and regional issues of mutual concern.

They also agreed that amid complicated and unpredictable changes regionally and globally, ASEAN-led mechanisms must continue to be promoted to boost dialogue and cooperation between the countries in the bloc, and with external partners for the sake of peace and stability in the region.

Regarding the East Sea issue, the two sides consented that relevant parties should closely abide by the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) whilst striving for the early conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the waters (COC) in line with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

At the event, the two sides agreed to continue to increase visit exchanges to share information, strengthen cooperation between military zones and the countries’ border management forces, and educate young generations about the traditional and friendly relationship between the two States, peoples, and armies.

They will continue to coordinate efforts to speed up the search, collection, and repatriation of remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Cambodia during international missions in the past.

The two sides also vowed to support each other at regional and multilateral forums, especially mechanisms led by ASEAN.

Forest fire warning issued for large areas of Cà Mau Province

As temperatures rise and the weather becomes dryer, a warning has been issued over increased risks of forest fires in Cà Mau Province.

The Forest Protection Department under the province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, says complex weather conditions could cause problems in forests in U Minh Hạ and on Hòn Khoai islands.

The entire province currently has more than 33,500 hectares of forests in a dry state, with more than 18,200 hectares at warning level IV (dangerous level) and more than 3,400 hectares at level V (extremely dangerous level).

The director of the Cà Mau Forest Protection Department, Lê Văn Hải, said that in recent days, there have been some unseasonal rains in the province with low rainfall and uneven distribution. Many forest areas belonging to the U Minh Hạ Forestry Company, the forest ranger unit of Hòn Khoai island group, and some communes in U Minh District are at extremely high risk of fire.

The provincial Forest Protection Department predicts that the hot weather will continue in the near future.

Mekong Delta faces increasing erosion

The Mekong Delta is experiencing increasing erosion, but local authorities are taking steps to mitigate the damage to agriculture and thus to people's lives.

In the upstream area of the Tiền River, a tributary of the Mekong, in Tiền Giang Province, erosion has occurred at many places along the Trà Lọt and Rạch Ruộng rivers and 28 and Nguyễn Văn Tiếp canals in Cái Bè District.

In early March a 50m section was completely eroded on the Trà Lọt’s eastern bank, blocking a road in Hoà Khánh Commune.

Cái Bè has suffered a total of 2.1km of erosion in 62 places, and requires more than VNĐ27.7 billion (US$1.2 million) for repairs, according to its Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Development.

In Cần Thơ City, there have been two cases of erosion this year.

One was along the Ô Môn River in Thới Lai District where a section of land 26 metres in length and 12 metres in width was washed away, causing losses of VNĐ800 million ($34,100).

The other, 25 metres in length and three metres in width, was along the Thạnh Đông Canal in Cái Răng District’s Phú Thứ Ward.

In Trà Vinh Province, the People’s Committee declared an erosion emergency on Nhạn Riverine Island in Duyên Hải District last month.

In Bến Tre Province, there are 112 erosion spots along rivers, canals and coastal areas with 138km affected, according to its Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The province loses 120ha of land and 100ha protective forests along coastal areas to erosion each year. The worst cases are in Bình Đại, Chợ Lách and Mỏ Cày Nam districts.

Erosion in the delta is caused by natural as well as human factors such as sand mining and illegal construction of houses and other structure along the banks of rivers and canals, according to experts.

Hoa Lo Prison attracts more visitors

According to the site management board, Hoa Lo Prison has seen a surge in tourist numbers. Every day, the historical site welcomes around 2,000 visitors. This has been attributed to the launch of a night tour.  

The tour recalls the life of revolutionary soldiers at Hoa Lo Prison during the time of between 1930 and 1954, including women who gave up on their family for national independence.

The tour brings visitors to see the prison to understand more what Vietnamese revolutionaries experienced in the past. They are also told stories of loyal and fearless people who died in the struggle for national independence.

Many tourists are emotionally affected by the experience.

PM urges Long Thành International Airport project to be hastened

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has signed an official dispatch demanding ministries and agencies speed up the Long Thành International Airport project, which is lagging behind schedule.

The dispatch was sent to the ministers of transport, planning and investment, construction, natural resources and environment, public security, national defence, finance, and agriculture and rural development; the chairperson of the Committee for Management of State Capital at Enterprises (CMSC); the chairperson of the Đồng Nai provincial People’s Committee; and the director general of the Airports Corporation of Việt Nam.

It noted that the project is of national importance and its schedule and completion target has been set by the National Assembly. The Government and the PM highly valued efforts by relevant ministries, sectors, the Đồng Nai People’s Committee, and other agencies in resolving difficulties and obstacles during the project implementation, especially the site clearance and resettlement for Phase 1.

However, the main sub-projects are lagging behind schedule. Given this, it is necessary to clarify causes and responsibilities of relevant parties while taking quick solutions to accelerate the project.

The PM requested investors of sub-projects, the Transport Ministry, the CMSC, and related agencies to review their assigned tasks, identify causes as well as responsibilities of each poor-performing individual and collective, and send reports to the Transport Ministry to submit to Deputy PM Trần Hồng Hà by April 23.

Sailor injured at sea treated in hospital

A Filipino sailor is being treated in hospital after a work-related accident at sea.

Laride Jerry Abapo was injured while on board the Nea Elpis bulk carrier travelling from China to Singapore.

He suffered bleeding to his ears and nose as well as swelling to his head and right eye.  

The Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre received a call for urgent medical assistance at about 1.40pm on Tuesday.

The cargo ship was located about 245 nautical miles from the cape of Vũng Tàu heading in an east-north-eastern direction.

Upon receiving the information, the centre asked Hồ Chí Minh Coastal Information Radio to contact the ship, provide initial medical advice for the crew in distress, and request the ship to urgently divert to Vũng Tàu.

In the face of a situation potentially endangering the sailor’s life, a search and rescue ship with doctors and nurses on board was mobilised for an emergency rescue.

The rescue team reached the vessel at about 3.45am on Wednesday, provided first aid to the victim and brought the sailor to Vũng Tàu Hospital for treatment. 

Covid-19 infections continue to rise in Vietnam

Vietnam continued to see rising number of Covid-19 infections with additional 2,159 new cases confirmed on Wednesday, up 537 cases from yesterday's figure, according to the Ministry of Health.

According to the ministry's report, the national caseload has so far increased to over 11.53 million. The country now stands 13th among 230 countries and territories worldwide in the number of infections.

On April 19, an additional 209 more patients recovered from the disease, raising the number of recoveries in the country to over 10.60 million. Currently, 111 patients are relying on mechanical ventilation.

On Tuesday evening, no deaths from Covid-19 were recorded. Vietnam hasn't reported any deaths related to Covid-19 over the past three months. The country's total fatalities stayed at over 43,000, accounting for 0.40 percent of total infections.

Vietnam is witnessing a reoccurrence of Covid-19 cases over the past week. According to experts, the actual figure may be higher as many people undergo a self-test and self-treatment at home.

The Ministry of Health has asked localities nation-wide to tighten preventive measures to curb the spreading of the virus, including speeding up vaccination.

Vietnamese people most interested in policy of medical examination

Vietnamese people are most interested in the policy of medical examination and treatment but they just don't seem interested in economic development policies.

The fourth meeting of the Government's Steering Committee for Administrative Reform was held yesterday to assess the implementation of administrative procedure reform associated with digital transformation, serving people and businesses, and to announce the 2022 Satisfaction Index of Public Administration Services (SIPAS) and the 2022 Public Administration Reform (PAR) Index.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs’ announcement of the results of the 2022 Satisfaction Index of Public Administration Services (SIPAS) and the 2022 Public Administration Reform (PAR) Index, Vietnamese people are most interested in the policy of medical examination and treatment but they just don't seem interested in economic development policies.

From the feedback of 36,000 respondents in the country, the Ministry of Home Affairs has synthesized and analyzed survey data and built a set of 37 indicators reflecting people’s judgments and assessments. 45 indicators reflect people's satisfaction level and 10 indicators reflect people's needs and expectations.

The Ministry reported that Vietnamese people pay attention to 8 groups of policies at very different levels. Amongst groups, people are most interested in the policy of medical examination and treatment with a very interest rate of 71.82 percent; slightly interested rate is 25.8 percent and 2.34 percent of respondents showed their indifference to policies.

The percentage of people's interest in economic development policy is the lowest with only 57.07 percent while 37.49 percent are slightly interested and 5.44 percent uninterested.

Profiteers at registration centers to be strictly handled

The Ministry of Transport yesterday proposed the People’s Committees of the provinces and cities under the Central to strengthen the collaboration on handling the order and security violations at the registration centers.

According to the Ministry of Transport, as the registration demand for motor vehicles of people and enterprises has not been dramatically handled, there have been violations and negativities arising at the registration centers.

Several individuals took advantage of difficult situations for profiteering, including acts of registration on behalf of car owners, acceleration of registration, purchasing registration stamps or registration certificates and so on losing trust in people.

Therefore, the ministry proposed leaders of localities to direct functional agencies to proactively monitor, detect and handle violated organizations and individuals related to registration activities and correct limitations and shortcomings in vehicle inspection.

On the same day, the Vietnam Register announced the hotlines to receive reflections from people related to negativities via numbers 024.37684702 or 0985961766.

Tan Son Nhat Airport switches pick-up point for app-based taxi to int'l terminal

The pick-up point for the app-based taxi service has been switched from five positions at lane B to the parking lot at the international terminal with 11 points in Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

In order to stabilize passenger transport during peak times, the Tan Son Nhat International Airport decided to switched the pick-up points for the apps-based taxis from five positions at lane B to 11 positions at the international terminal's parking lot.

Source: VNA/SGT/VNS/VOV/Dtinews/SGGP/VGP/Hanoitimes