The number of people participating in social insurance neared 17.4 million in the first quarter of 2024, up 1.6% from the same period last year, according to the Vietnam Social Security (VSS).

Also in the period, the number of people covered by unemployment insurance reached 14.2 million, up 1.67% year-on-year. Meanwhile, approximately 90.2 million enrolled in health insurance, representing a 0.28% annual increase.

VSS General Director Nguyen The Manh said that these positive outcomes serve as a solid foundation for the sector to continue fulfilling its duties in the second quarter and the remaining months of the year.

Manh requested local chapters of the VSS collaborate closely with relevant authorities and sectors to implement social insurance and healthcare policies.

It is important to refresh the sectors’ forms, contents, and methods of communications, and ensure citizens’ optimal access to information regarding insurance policies, he said.

Furthermore, Manh stressed the importance of implementing cohesive measures to securely manage funds, ensuring sustainable growth and efficiency, while continuing the review and simplification of administrative procedures, as well as strict settlement of violations./.

Happy Iftar Day spotlights Muslim culture

The Institute of South Asian, West Asian and African Studies (ISAWAAS) under the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS) hosted a Happy Iftar Day in Hanoi on April 3, bringing together representatives of Muslim countries’ embassies in Vietnam.

The event aimed to promote mutual understanding between Vietnam and Muslim countries.

Iftar is the fast-breaking evening meal of Muslims in Ramadan month – the holiest time for Muslims, which falls on the 9th month of the Islamic lunar calendar, or between March and June each year. During this month, Muslims observe two main meals each day, including Suhoor and Iftar.

This is the third consecutive year ISAWAAS has organised the Iftar event, helping to popularise humanitarian values of Muslims, strengthen cultural exchange and raise public awareness of Islamic culture, Iftar, and Halal practices.

According to ISAWAAS Director Prof. Le Phuoc Minh, in the context of extensive international economic integration and development, it is necessary to foster cultural exchanges between countries to promote understanding and friendliness, towards positive outcomes in multilateral cooperation.

The Islamic culture, with its distinctive features, especially Iftar or Ramadan, is not only about the beauty of love, compassion, sharing, forgiveness, and no distinction between the rich and the poor, but also reflects the strong determination of Muslims, he stressed.

Minh underlined the need for Vietnamese people to understand more about the Islamic culture in general, and Iftar and Ramadan practices in particular, thus enhancing relations with Muslim countries and opening up a promising Halal market.

Moroccan Ambassador to Vietnam Jamale Chouaibi highly valued the initiative to organise the Iftar Day, saying that this demonstrates Vietnam's adherence to the principles of tolerance, peaceful coexistence, and mutual respect among religious communities as well as the Southeast Asian country’s determination to strengthen and preserve social cohesion./.

Vietnam attends 28th ASEAN Finance Ministers’ meeting

Finance Minister Ho Duc Phoc led a Vietnamese delegation to the 28th ASEAN Finance Minister’s Meeting that took place in Luang Prabang, Laos, on April 5.

In his speech at the event, Phoc laid a stress on the significance of the customs management policy and mechanism to trade connectivity, and welcomed Laos’s initiative on completing a technical study for the new-generation ASEAN Single Window (ASW) while recommending the bloc to accelerate the modernisation and mobilise resources for the ASW in the next stage.

He went on to say that completion of the network of the double taxation avoidance agreements within ASEAN has encouraged cross-border economic activities and created favourable conditions for and promoted transparency of the investment environment in the member states.

Amidst strong and extensive global tax reform in recent years, ASEAN should prioritise ways to engage in the reform or those to implement tax reform in each member state so as to maintain ASEAN’s position as an attractive investment destination, Phoc stressed.

He also suggested the bloc continue rolling out climate finance, green finance, and transition finance in tandem with requirements on stability, equality, reliability, and rational costs.

Highlighting financial cooperation in infrastructure will help ASEAN unlock resources to complete hard infrastructure connectivity, the official affirmed that Vietnam will work closely with the ASEAN Infrastructure Fund (AIF) to propose new projects in the time ahead.

Vietnam wants to further contribute to bolstering customs cooperation within the bloc as it will serve as the Chair and host of the 33rd Meeting of the ASEAN Customs Directors-General slated for June 2024 in Phu Quoc island, he added.

A report on the activities of the ASEAN financial cooperation working group, including finance for infrastructure, ASEAN Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance (ADRFI), and customs cooperation, was delivered at the meeting.

The ASEAN finance ministers recognised the important cooperation outcomes attained since the 27th meeting, and affirmed that financial cooperation initiatives during 2023-2024 helped shape up a favourable trade and investment climate, and develop a financial market that backs up the completion of the regional infrastructure as well as production capacity of the ASEAN economies amidst increasing risks of climate change and natural disasters./.

HCM City delegation provides health check-ups for needy people in Laos

A delegation from the Ho Chi Minh City Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs and the city’s Health Department on April 5 visited, provided health check-ups and medicines, and presented gifts to overseas Vietnamese and local residents living in difficult circumstances in Laos' Savannakhet province.

The activity was within the framework of the 4th Exhibition of Ho Chi Minh City and Friendship Provinces and Cities in Savannakhet in 2024.

As part of the delegation, young medical workers from major hospitals in the city delivered medical examinations and medicines, along with 500 gifts, 500 helmets, and milk worth a total of 385 million VND (15,400 USD).

Speaking at the event, Ha Phuoc Thang, deputy head of the Ho Chi Minh City delegation of National Assembly deputies, said that the activity contributes to strengthening the friendship between the Parties, States and people of the two countries. It also showed the attention and support that Ho Chi Minh City’s leaders and people give to the disadvantaged Vietnamese people in Savannakhet province.

On this occasion, the delegation also popularised information on Vietnam’s foreign policy, national unity policy, policies relating to overseas Vietnamese people and the city's achievements in the past year./.

Lao Cai to hold cultural, sport activities to lure more visitors

The northern mountainous province of Lao Cai, home to the renowned resort town of Sa Pa, plans to organise a wide range of cultural and sports events in the second quarter of 2024 to attract more domestic and foreign visitors.

In the first three months of this year, the province, also famous for Mount Fansipan – the peak of Indochina, saw more than 2 million tourist arrivals to earn 6.3 trillion VND (252 million USD), up 17% year-on-year.

Notably, in March alone, over 960,000 people travelled to Lao Cai for their holidays, representing a month-on-month surge of 78.5%. Revenue from tourists that month also recorded a month-on-month rise of 48% to 2.77 trillion VND.

In April-June, at the Sa Pa National Tourist Area, many activities will be held such as the "Sa Pa, the land of love" summer festival, a flower festival at the Fansipan cable car station, the Mau Son - Mau Thuong Temple Festival, a cultural festival of ethnic groups at the Ham Rong Mountain scenic spot, and the third Sa Pa Marathon.

Bac Ha district’s traditional horse race will take place from April 15 to May 1, while Bao Yen district will organise the second Nghia Do commune Folk Culture Festival.

In the period, Lao Cai will develop a plan for the 2024 Lao Cai International Tourism Fair, and another on green tourism development for the 2024-2025 period, with a vision to 2030.

This year, the province is striving to serve 8.5 million visitors to earn 27 trillion VND./.

Chairman of Vietnam - Bulgaria Friendship Association elected

A new 51-member Executive Committee elected Huynh Quyet Thang, director of Hanoi University of Science and Technology, to the role as chairman of the Vietnam - Bulgaria Friendship Association at the fifth congress for the 2024 to 2029 term held on April 4 in Hanoi.

Speaking glowingly of the operational results of the Vietnam - Bulgaria Friendship Association in the past term, Phan Anh Son, chairman of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO), stated that the group has tried to innovate its operational methods to attract more resources to engage in people-to-people exchange activities between the two nations.

Friendly exchange activities, enhanced cultural understanding, and connected educational co-operation have contributed to implementing the foreign policy and tasks of the Party and State as a means of contributing to raising Vietnam's reputation in the international arena.

In the new term, Son proposed that the association constantly innovate and improve the general quality and efficiency of operations with a particular focus on building and developing a team of cadres and members, especially paying attention to building the younger generation of members.

Bulgarian Ambassador to Vietnam Pavlin Todorov underscored the importance of people-to-people and cultural exchanges between both sides for the purpose of strengthening bilateral relations.

He highlighted the important role of the two friendship associations of the two countries, as well as the Vietnamese community who have studied, lived, and worked in Bulgaria in boosting mutual ties.

As part of this occasion, the VUFO awarded Certificates of Merit to the Association’s individuals and groups with many outstanding achievements in citizen diplomacy activities during the past term.

According to a report reviewing activities of the Association during the 2018 to 2024 term, a broad array of practical and effective activities were launched, thereby meeting the requirements of people-to-people diplomacy in the current situation and helping to both consolidate and enhance the traditional friendship and co-operation between the two countries.

Mine clearance of unexploded ordnance continues in Vietnam

Efforts to settle the consequences of bombs and mines in 2024 will continue focusing on clearing bombs, mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) left over from the war and supporting victims, according to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA).

Along with collecting data to develop a report summarising the implementation of the national action programme for the 2010 - 2025 period, relevant agencies will work together to build a national strategy on UXO safety education.

A set of national standards for UXO settlement will be submitted to the Ministry of Science and Technology for assessment and promulgation before December 2024, the ministry said.

This year, Vietnam aims to expand cooperation with potential partners and strengthen the mobilisation of international funding.

Vietnam will carry out the “Mine Action for Vietnam – the Republic of Korea Peace Village” project in the 2022-2026 period, which focuses on a clearance survey, mine accident prevention education, and victim support, covering three central and south-central provinces of Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Nam and Binh Dinh.

A project to supply equipment serving UXO clearance funded by the Japanese Government will be launched, along with a number of other projects.

In response to the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action (April 4), the National Steering Committee on the Settlement of Post-War Unexploded Ordnance and Toxic Chemical Consequences (Steering Committee 701) and the Vietnam National Mine Action Centre (VNMAC) have launched an online contest on bomb and mine recognition and incident prevention at website http://vnmac.gov.vn/. It aims to enhance public awareness of UXO safety in the community.

According to the MoLISA, Vietnam remains littered with about 800,000 tonnes of UXO left over from the war. As of 2023, Vietnam had more than 5.59 million hectares of UXO polluted areas, or nearly 17.7% of the country’s total area.

The leftover UXO are scattered across all 63 localities, mostly in central, Central Highlands and Southeast region.
 
Meanwhile, the country has more than 7.06 million persons of disabilities, tens of thousands of them are victims of UXO and Agent Orange/dioxin.

Since 1975, UXO left over from the war have killed more than 40,000 people and injured 60,000 others, the majority of whom are breadwinners of families, people from ethnic minority groups and children.

In nearly 50 years after the war ended, the Party and State of Vietnam have paid great attention to overcoming leftover bomb and mine consequences, while issuing various policies to support UXO victims in livelihood.

On April 21, 2010, the Prime Minister issued a decision approving the national action programme on settling consequences of bomb and mines left over from the war (Programme 504) for the 2010-2025 period, aiming to mobilise domestic and foreign resources for the work.

Recently, the PM has signed a decision approving a plan to implement the programme for the 2023-2025 period.

Joining hands with the Government, ministries, sectors and localities have conducted many practical activities to deal with leftover UXO and support victims.

Last year, the military engineering force developed a plan to clear 1,500 hectares of land heavily contaminated with mines and bombs in Vi Xuyen and Quan Ba districts of northern Ha Giang province. To date, 1,232 hectares have been cleaned, or 80% of the plan, and handed over to local people for production, during which six martyrs' remains were collected.

A national electronic library on leftover bomb and mine consequence overcoming is scheduled to be launched at http://thuviendientu.vnmac.gov.vn in 2024 by the VNMAC and CRS Vietnam under the sponsorship of the US Department of State./.

Geoparks network symposium expected to promote Cao Bang’s tourism

The 8th symposium of the Asia Pacific Geoparks Network (APGN), slated for this September, is expected to help promote tourism in the northern mountainous province of Cao Bang.

The biennial symposium, to be held by the Cao Bang People's Committee and the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO from September 7 to 15, will attract about 800 - 1,000 international and domestic delegates.

It will include meetings of the UNESCO Global Geopark Council to evaluate and re-evaluate dossiers, a meeting of the APGN Cordination Committee and Advisory Committee, general and thematic seminars, bilateral meetings between regional geoparks, cultural and artistic performances, exhibitions, along with booths for introducing Cao Bang’s tourism to delegates.

Vi Tran Thuy, Deputy Director of the Management Board of the Non Nuoc Cao Bang UNESCO Global Geopark, said the board has proposed the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the provincial People’s Committee establish an advisory board, a scientific council, subcommittees, and supporting groups to prepare for the event organisation. It has also coordinated with relevant departments and units to build a volunteer and collaborator training plan.

The management board has also worked with UNESCO experts to develop a registration portal and a symposium management software in English and Vietnamese for delegates to register their attendance and submit reports.

Located in the north of Vietnam, 300km from Hanoi, Non Nuoc Cao Bang was recognised as a UNESCO global geopark in 2018. It covers 3,000sq.km and is home to nine ethnic groups, including Tay, Nung, Mong, Dao, and San Chay.

The geopark is an exceptional territory which offers insights into the history of the planet across more than 500 million years through protected sites. Fossils, marine sediment, volcanic and plutonic rocks and minerals are witness to the remarkable evolution and changes of the earth, and they constitute an exceptional geological heritage.

It is also a land of tangible and intangible cultural heritage sites and special historical monuments. The area is also well-known for its high biological diversity with abundant endemic plant and animal species and ecosystems.

Cao Bang province is also renowned for its many scenic attractions, such as the Phia Oac Ecotourism Area, Phia Den, the Thang Hen Lake cluster, Nguom Ngao Cave, and especially Ban Gioc Waterfall, which was once voted one of the four most majestic and beautiful border waterfalls in the world./.

Old version of citizen ID cards to expire on January 1, 2025

The Police Department of Administrative Management of Social Order (C06) yesterday explained 10 details in the Identification Law, effective as of July 1, 2024.

Accordingly, the old version of a citizen ID card will not be valid from January 1, 2025. The iris information of any citizens from six years old is collected when applying for a chip-based ID card.

Any chip-based citizen ID card issued before July 1, 2024 is still valid until expiration date (printed on the card). When in need, a citizen can ask for the newest version of a chip-based ID card. All legal documents using information from the old versions of a citizen ID are still valid.

C06 added that the newest version of a chip-based ID card replaces the content of ‘Place of Origin’, ‘Place of Residence’, ‘Fingerprint’, and ‘Personal Identification’ with ‘Place of Birth Registration’ and ‘Place of Residence’ only. Vietnamese citizens under 14 years old can register for one chip-based ID card when in need.

Vietnamese citizens are not eligible to register for place of permanent or temporary residence if they do not update their current place of residence in the National Population Database.

The Identification Law does not allow the collection of biometric information of children under six years old. Those who are from six years old have their iris information recorded when applying for a chip-based ID card. Other biometric information of DNA and voice is optional and collected when people voluntarily provide it for this process.

A new lease on life for Hanoi's community library system

More public libraries are being built in Hanoi to promote reading culture in the society, improve spiritual life and provide educational facilities for the local population, especially children, according to Deputy Director of Hanoi Library Vuong Thi Ly.

“In the coming time, Hanoi will strengthen its public library system, support librarians, and honor those who contributed to encouraging and developing the reading movement in the community,” Ly told Vietnam News Agency.

She added that Hanoi's library network now consists of Hanoi Library, 29 district libraries, 54 commune libraries and about 1,100 mini-libraries and reading rooms throughout the city.

These libraries have helped to spread the reading movement in the community in recent years. Among them, Tay Ho District Library currently has more than 25,000 books, including 7,000 children's books, covering various topics such as history, culture, and politics, among others.  

Nguyen Thi Phuong, head librarian at the Tay Ho District Centre for Culture, Information and Sports, said encouraging students to read is her main task. "The children's reading corner is always decorated in an eye-catching way to attract more children after school and on weekends," she said.

In addition, the district youth association has organized many cultural events and competitions related to books and reading habits to attract local youth, such as the "Search for the Ambassador of Reading Culture", "Book Installation" and "Book Illustration" competitions, among others.

In addition, libraries of audio books and digital books have been set up on social networking sites and YouTube channels.

The Binh Vong Village Library in Van Binh Commune, Thuong Tin District, Hanoi, is a good example of effectively mobilizing private resources for library development.

Duong Van Phi, director of the Binh Vong Village Library, told The Hanoi Times that since its establishment in 1999, the library has formed a "network of administrators" led by village elders. "These enthusiastic librarians are always available to receive donated books, classify them and lend them to readers," Phi said.

"The library started with 500 books. Today, it has more than 15,000 titles. Every year, it lends books to more than 600 people and serves about 3,000 readers. The library has been honored to welcome the delegation of the Royal Library of Sweden and dozens of delegations from other provinces and cities to visit and exchange experiences in building and running libraries," the director added.

At the library in Hanoi's Van Phuc ward, Ha Dong district, Nguyen Thi Huyen, head librarian, said the reading cellar, located in the historic site of Van Phuc Temple, has about 1,000 books and more than 20 newspapers and magazines.

The reading room for pensioners, elderly people, students and pupils living in the area is open every day, even on holidays.

"The library is open right at the famous local relic site, which is an advantage because people visit the relic and come to the library. Many visitors to the site, as well as local people, choose to read a book or magazine while waiting to attend some events held here," Huyen told the Vietnam News Agency.

According to Vuong Thi Ly, to maintain the operation of the community library network, the Hanoi Library and the capital's cultural sector will continue to promote communication, attract private investment, and enhance the spirit of shared social responsibility in improving the library's reading and learning environment. Hanoi authorities will develop appropriate policies to involve private resources in library activities, as well as reward policies for organizations and individuals who make positive contributions in terms of human, material and financial resources to community library activities.

"In order to provide more books and newspapers to readers, Hanoi Library and district libraries will continue to distribute books to community libraries. These efforts is expected to gradually improve operational efficiency and reaffirm the role and position of libraries and books in social and cultural life," Ly said.

HCM City takes proactive measures to prevent rabies

HCM City is intensifying efforts to prevent rabies, whose incidence has been on the rise in many parts of southern and central Việt Nam this year.

While the city itself has not recorded any rabies cases, the presence of unleashed dogs and cats in public areas poses a risk.

Trần Huỳnh, 39, of District 5 went straight to the HCM City Hospital for Tropical Diseases to get rabies shots after being bitten by a stray dog.

He did not know the dog’s owner or whether it was vaccinated, and so decided to preclude the risk of rabies.

According to statistics from the hospital, it has been administering rabies vaccines to more than 240 people every day since February.

It has treated seven rabies patients from other provinces in this period.

All seven were in critical condition and, sadly, died.

In the first two months of this year the Pasteur Institute in HCM City administered more than 4,800 rabies shots.

The HCM City Center for Disease Control (HCDC) reports 19,552 people in the city were vaccinated during this period.

Surveys done at vaccination points by HCDC found that the culprits were dogs (74.8 per cent), cats (20.5 per cent), bats (0.2 per cent), and other animals (4.6 per cent).

More than 60 per cent of cases involved level three wounds, referring to deep bites that pierce the skin and cause bleeding or open wounds licked by an animal.

Dr Lê Hồng Nga, deputy director of the HCDC, said while the city itself had not had any rabies cases, several provinces in the south had, particularly Bến Tre Province.

The city Department of Health had provided comprehensive guidance to relevant agencies about rabies prevention and control measures, with a focus on preventing transmission to humans, she said.

According to Dr Danh Thơm, deputy head of the medical examination department at the HCM City Hospital for Tropical Diseases, the prolonged and intense hot weather makes conditions ripe for a significant rabies outbreak.

The practice of allowing dogs and cats to wander without muzzles heightens the risk of rabies transmission.

Recently the diagnostic, testing, and treatment station for animal diseases under the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sub-department has seen a large number of pets brought for examination and rabies vaccination.

On average, the station administers rabies vaccinations to 20-30 dogs and cats every day.

Nguyễn Hữu Thiết, deputy director of the city Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sub-department, said there were 184,000 pet dogs and cats in the city, with around 81 per cent of them immunized against rabies.

His agency collaborated with districts and communes to encourage people to vaccinate their pets regularly and manage pets properly, he said.

The city Department of Agriculture and Rural Development wants people raising dogs or cats to register with the local administration and implant electronic chips in their pets to manage information related to breeding, vaccination, quarantine, and transportation.

It has also suggested various measures to strengthen community awareness to ensure people isolate pets with abnormal symptoms or suspected infectious diseases and promptly seek assistance from veterinary agencies or local authorities.

It also wants pets leashed, muzzled and accompanied by their owners in public places.

According to the HCDC, rabies is an extremely dangerous infectious disease without any treatment but is preventable.

When bitten, individuals should immediately wash the wound and go to a health centre to receive preventive treatment as soon as possible.

They should adhere to the prescribed vaccination schedule and strictly avoid medications that are not prescribed. 
 
Empowering informal waste workers in recycled plastics value chain crucial for VN’s EPR implementation

If you walk around the capital city it won’t be long before you hear somebody shout: “Anyone selling scrap?”

The question may well be coming from the mouth of Nguyễn Thị Luận, 59, from the northern province of Nam Định.

For 20 years she has trawled the streets of the capital collecting metal, beer cans, bottles, in fact anything she might be able to sell on.

"This job is tough and the income is not much,” she admitted.

“Some days you earn more, some days less.”

With limited job opportunities in her home town, Luận moved to the capital to seek employment.

Some days, she only makes around VNĐ30,000 (US$1.2). When things are better it may be $2, or on a good day, $4.

Đỗ Thị Thảo, 53, from the northern province of Hải Dương, has been doing the same job for the past 10 years.  

"In my countryside, my family has a rice field to cultivate, but it is not enough to sustain us, so I came here with the hope to earn more to raise my children," she said.

Rain or shine, she still had to ride her old bicycle through Hoàng Mai District, Hà Nội to collect scrap every day.

“If I do not work, I will not have enough money to cover rent-room expenses, food, electricity, and water bills, among other expenses,” she said.

Thảo said she makes around VNĐ3,000 (12 cents) per kilo of paper, VNĐ400 (1.5 cent) for a beer can, VNĐ4,000 (16 cents) per kilo of plastic used bottles, VNĐ2,500 (10 cents) per kilo of used cardboard, VNĐ30,000 ($1.2) per kilo of aluminium and VNĐ7,000 (28 cents) per kilo of iron.

Copper fetches the highest price at VNĐ160,000 ($6.4) per kilo.

Normally, she had to collect two sacks of used plastic bottles to earn VNĐ4,000, she said.

Luận and Thảo are among nearly three million workers involved in informal waste collection in Việt Nam.

According to the Circulate Initiative, globally, about 60 per cent of plastic waste is collected and recycled thanks to 20 million informal waste workers, often the most vulnerable and marginalised groups in society.

In Việt Nam, the informal waste workers, where up to 90 per cent are women, help collect more than 30 per cent of recyclable plastic waste, reducing the financial burden on formal waste collection units and, ultimately, reducing public spending on waste collection and treatment.

In the meantime, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is an advanced policy approach that holds producers accountable for the entire lifecycle of their products, including post-consumer waste management. This approach shifts the burden of waste management from local governments to producers and importers and encourages sustainable waste management practices.

Việt Nam's Law on Environmental Protection 2020 regulates that starting from 2024, manufacturers and importers are obliged to implement EPR.

With the goal of refining waste management regulations towards considering waste and plastic waste as resources, the law has introduced the EPR provisions with two responsibilities. The one is waste collection and disposal, the other is recycling of packaging, products of manufacturers and importers.

Since January 1, 2024, manufacturers and importers of batteries, accumulators, lubricants, tire inner tubes and packaging (commercial products) must take responsibility for recycling the products and packaging they produce or import after consumers dispose of them.

Ramla Khalidi, UNDP Resident Representative in Việt Nam, said: “As in other countries, informal waste workers play a crucial role in the EPR implementation process in Việt Nam.”

Their contributions were significant in waste collection and sorting, ensuring a stable supply of recyclables essential for the success of EPR.

By leveraging their mobility, flexibility and personal networks, they collected and sorted materials from diverse sources, complementing formal waste collection services.

“Their involvement in primary waste sorting and pre-processing maximises recycling efficiency and waste recovery efforts,” Ramla added.

That directly benefited the recycling industry by providing a steady supply of raw materials and supports circular economy practices.

“Empowering informal waste workers to utilise their strengths in waste collection and integrating them as essential contributors to the recycled plastics value chain is crucial for effective implementation of EPR in Việt Nam,” she said.

However, to harness these benefits, it is important to consider inclusive practices that provide equitable opportunities for all parties involved, especially women and marginalised groups who dominate the informal waste sector.

She suggested that to engage informal waste workers in the activities of licensed recycling companies under EPR regulations, there were a number of strategies.

In terms of legal identity and collective representation, providing informal waste workers with legal status by connecting them to formal networks like professional groups, associations, or unions was crucial. The approach enhanced their market position and facilitated their involvement in EPR systems.

Establishing cooperatives and associations, with the backing of NGOs and businesses, allowed informal waste workers to sell materials at better prices. Such entities could also align with broader organisations, promoting sustainable development and improving waste collection efficiency.

Upcoming policies supporting cooperative establishment would further ease the inclusion of independent waste pickers in the EPR process.

In terms of financial incentives, implementing subsidies from the Environmental Protection Fund for collecting low-value plastics could address the issue of plastic pollution by making the collection of such materials more economically viable for informal waste workers.

“The initiative not only increases their income but also encourages the collection of materials that are often neglected due to their low value,” she said.

Ensuring a steady supply of plastic waste to recycling companies, these subsidies aligned with EPR regulations and supported sustainable waste management practices.

In terms of inclusion and recognition, strengthening the involvement of businesses and brands in incorporating informal waste workers into their material value chains was essential.

Enhancing communication about the role of informal waste workers in EPR and aligning this with corporate social responsibility ensured that companies prioritised the welfare of informal waste workers when meeting recycling obligations.

Collaborations between UNDP Việt Nam, NGOs, and businesses to pilot a Responsible Sourcing Framework (RSF) were steps toward integrating sustainable practices into EPR guidelines, promoting a circular economy.

"Once the informal waste workers are recognised as a legitimate stakeholder, there are opportunities for them to be included in the EPR implementation in the country, for example, they can sign contracts with cooperative models, recycling facilities to collect different types of materials under the EPR’s requirements," she said.

Challenges ahead to eliminate malaria in Việt Nam: expert

Despite significant progress in the fight against malaria in Việt Nam, there is still a long way to go before the mosquito-borne disease can be eradicated for good.

Hoàng Đình Cảnh, Head of the National Institute of Malariology, Parasitology and Entomology, told the Government News that Việt Nam reported 448 malaria cases and two fatalities in 2023.

Although 46 provinces and cities have been declared malaria-free, the disease remains difficult to predict. Over 6.8 million people currently reside in malaria-endemic regions, with hotspots in Lai Châu and Khánh Hòa provinces and some parts of the Central Highlands.

In 2023, Khánh Hoà saw 254 malaria cases, accounting for over half of the national total. Most of the cases occurred from June to the end of the year.

In Lai Châu, Mường Tè District alone reported approximately 100 cases, which were predominantly among the La Hủ ethnic group.

Over the past few weeks, Khánh Hòa continues to record between four to six cases per week, primarily concentrated in Khánh Vĩnh District.

Cảnh believes that the surge in malaria cases in these regions can be attributed to the lack of awareness among forest-goers and farmers who expose themselves to mosquito bites without proper protection.

In Khánh Phú Village, health authorities could only reach out to approximately 70 per cent of forest-goers and farmers. The rest remains elusive for screening measures and awareness campaigns.

"When a new case is detected, health authorities investigate, cordon off the surrounding area for insecticide spraying and conduct awareness campaigns," Cảnh said.

"However, many people work in forests and rice fields, making it difficult to reach them and keep them informed."

Currently, a malaria vaccine is available only in Africa, with an efficacy rate of about 65 per cent. In Việt Nam, effective antimalarial drugs are provided free of charge through the Global Fund.

To achieve malaria elimination by 2030, a stringent criterion of three consecutive years without a single case must be met, starting from the commune level and progressing to the district and provincial levels.

With only six years remaining, the challenges are daunting.

Cảnh calls for more intensive measures and resources and sustained commitment from all levels and sectors to strengthen national malaria, parasitic disease and vector control programmes.

Some measures include intensifying interventions in malaria hotspots, maintaining surveillance in malaria-free areas, expanding the coverage of parasitic disease and vector control activities, enhancing health workers' capabilities and raising funds for malaria control programmes. 

U9 national football tournament Toyota Cup 2024 attracts 32 teams

The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) and the Young Pioneer (Thiếu niên Tiền phong) Newspaper jointly held a ceremony on April 4 in Hanoi to introduce the U9 national football tournament Toyota Cup 2024.

So far a total of 32 teams nationwide have registered to participate in the tournament, with the competition scheduled to begin on August 10 in Pleiku in the Central Highland province of Gia Lai.

The teams will compete in a round-robin format with the best two teams of each group qualifying for the quarter-final stage.

The event, which will conclude on August 26, aims to seek out young talents for national youth teams. 

The tournament was first held back in 2021 under the sponsorship of Toyota Motor Vietnam Company Limited. Its goal is to contribute to the development of the future of Vietnamese football.

Many talented footballers have been found through this event, going on to join the nation’s U11 and U13 teams.

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