About 91.1 million people in Vietnam participated in health insurance last year, accounting for 92.04% of its population and marking an increase of over 2.2 million participants compared to that of 2021, according to the Vietnam Social Security (VSS).

Speaking at the online conference that the VSS organised on January 11 to launch this year’s tasks, its General Director Nguyen The Manh said that the health insurance coverage exceeds the targets set by the National Assembly and Government.

In addition, about 17.5 million people joined social insurance last year, accounting for 38.08% of Vietnam’s workforce. About 143 million people participated in unemployment insurance, making up 31.18% of the workforce.

Last year, the VSS handled over 95,600 new claims and promptly paid monthly pensions and social insurance allowances to 3.3 million people. Nearly 11 million people enjoyed sickness, maternity, convalescence, and health rehabilitation allowances; while over 977,600 got unemployment insurance benefits; and 151.4 million health insurance benefits. The total amount of money spent on beneficiaries reached 382 trillion VND (16.3 billion USD).

At the conference, Manh asked the whole sector to continue reviewing and simplifying administrative procedures; expanding the forms of providing online public services at level 4 and accelerating digital transformation.

He asked for connecting social and health insurance data systems to those of ministries and agencies as well as promoting the effective interconnection among national databases on insurance.

PMs of Vietnam, Laos visit photo exhibition on achievements of economic ties

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Lao host Sonexay Siphandone visited a photo exhibition on achievements in the two countries’ economic cooperation, held in Vientiane on January 12.

The display, part of PM Chinh’s official visit to Laos on January 11 - 12, was held by the Vietnam News Agency at the National Convention Centre of Laos on the sidelines of the 45th meeting of the countries’ Inter-Governmental Committee and investment cooperation conference.

It showcased all-round partnership between the two countries over the past years, with a focus on finance - banking, energy, telecommunications, agriculture, and forestry.

The photo include those of many Vietnamese-invested projects across Laos, especially in rural and disadvantaged areas, which have contributed to local socio-economic development, job creation, and income improvement and also won high evaluation from Lao leaders and people.

The exhibition aims to help the two countries’ leaders, officials, and enterprises gain a better understanding of the Vietnam - Laos special relations, particularly in economy.

Viet Nam strengthens COVID-19 surveillance at border gates

The Ministry of Health asked collection of COVID-19 test samples of suspected cases at the border gates and send them to institutes or hospitals for genetic sequencing to detect new COVID-19 sub-variants.

A woman enters Viet Nam from China in Lao Cai province on Sunday when the border gate in the province reopens for the first time after a three-year closure due to the pandemic. VNA/VNS Photo

This is part of Viet Nam's effort to control the pandemic as the traditional Lunar New Year comes near.

The ministry also underlined the neccessity to accelarate health  surveillance at medical facilities in order to early detect new and unexpected outbreaks.

Medical facilities and localities are responsible for working with Pasteur Institutes and competent hospitals to varify new sub-variants and evaluate disease risks.

Localities have to speed up vaccination for the elederly, people with chronic diseases, children aged from 5 to under 18, especially in big cities and tourism destinations with high number of foreign entrants.

The ministry also encouraged people to wear face masks disinfect hands with sanitizers.

Local authorities were asked to direct hotels and accommodations to allocate isolation areas for foreign tourists who are infected with COVID-19 with mild symthoms.

Vietnamese-funded Academy of Economics and Finance inaugurated in Laos

The Vietnamese-funded Dongkhamxang Academy of Economics and Finance (third phase) was inaugurated in Vientiane capital on January 11 within the framework of the official visit to Laos by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

The project, launched in 2017, had total investment capital of 176 billion VND (7.5 million USD), of which 158 billion VND was non-refundable aid from the Vietnamese Government.
 
Present at the ceremony, Vietnamese Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc said the academy can admit up to 4,000 students and officials in the financial sector, expressing  his hope that it will provide high-quality personnel, thus contributing to the process of national construction and reform in Laos.

Spanning over 155,000 square metres, the project includes buildings for study, research, physical training, and dormitory, among other facilities.

It formed part of an agreement on bilateral cooperation between the Vietnamese and Lao Governments for 2016 – 2020.

US Ambassador visits Quang Tri, discusses war aftermath alleviation

US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc E. Knapper had a working session in the central province of Quang Tri on January 11 to discuss cooperation in handling war consequences.

Receiving the diplomat, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Vo Van Hung thanked the US Government’s practical and meaningful support for Quang Tri through the embassy.

The area of land contaminated with landmines in Quang Tri remains large, he noted, calling for further remediation assistance from the US so that the province realise its goal of becoming the first locality in Vietnam to ensure mine safety by 2025.

He suggested the US Department of State continue to support the implementation of projects benefiting people with disabilities and those infected with Agent Orange/dioxin. Quang Tri wants to further receive the US’s humanitarian programmes and projects that aid its rural socio-economic development, the official added.

Hung hoped the diplomat will introduce Quang Tri’s potential in wind, solar and gas-fueled thermal power to potential US firms, pledging the best conditions possible for US investors to make fact-finding trips and conduct feasibility studies for their projects.

Knapper said the embassy highly appreciated the close and effective cooperation between the provincial authorities and non-governmental organisations in projects to remove unexploded ordnance and overcome the consequences of war. Quang Tri has made great contributions to the reconciliation and increasing mutual understanding between the Vietnamese and American people, he added.

The ambassador affirmed that the US Government is committed to dealing with the war consequences and healing the wounds on both sides, based on the principle of being honest with the past and working together towards a prosperous future.

HCM City’s top leader receives former PM of Japan

Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Committee of Ho Chi Minh City Nguyen Van Nen on January 11 received former Prime Minister of Japan Suga Yoshihide who is on a working visit to the southern largest city.

Highlighting great potential for cooperation between HCM City and Japan, Nen talked about the city’s challenges in the development process, saying that its infrastructure, especially transport infrastructure, has yet to meet socio-economic development requirements.

The city’s Metro Line No. 1 project is a symbol of Vietnam-Japan relations, Nen said, adding that it is expected to become a bright spot and create trust among people so as to effectively carry out other metro projects, thus improving traffic matters in HCM City.

He took this occasion to thank the Japanese government and people for their timely assistance to Vietnam and HCM City as well during the hardest times of the COVID-19 pandemic, thus helping the city control the pandemic and reaped important socio-economic achievements in 2022.

Nen also expressed his hope that Suga, in his capacity as advisor to the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Alliance and with his prestige and dedication, would continue contributing to the development of relations between Vietnam and Japan as well as between HCM City and Japanese localities and partners.

VUFO presents insignia to outgoing Cambodian Ambassador

The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) hosted a ceremony in Hanoi on January 11 to present a “For peace and friendship among nations” insignia to outgoing Cambodian Ambassador to Vietnam Chay Navuth.

VUFO President Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga said it was an honour to present the “For peace and friendship among nations” insignia – the most noble award of VUFO - to the Cambodian Ambassador in recognition of his contributions to promoting the friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the Vietnamese and Cambodian people.

Chay Navuth said it was an honour for him to receive the most noble award of VUFO. The ambassador affirmed that he will always remember and treasure VUFO’s assistance and sentiments Vietnamese people have reserved for him during his tenure.

He promised to make every effort to contribute to the enhancement of the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Cambodia and Vietnam in the future.

Binh Dien wholesale market listed as typical tourist product of District 8

The wholesale market of Binh Dien was announced as one of the typical tourist products of District 8 on January 11.

The typical tourism products of the district included the National Historical and Cultural Relic of Binh Dong Temple, Binh Dien wholesale market, Binh Thuan Parish Church, Ngoc Phat Stone Carving Workshop, Nam Tiep terracotta kilns site, the Pegasuite and Mr. Chanh’s Bakery & Academy.

Binh Dien is the largest wholesale market in Vietnam with an area of over 65 hectares, which was put into operation in 2006. This place is known as the unsleeping market so visitors can enjoy the bustling atmosphere of trading activities at the night market and buy fresh food at low prices.

HCM City pushes for realisation of agreements with Australian state

Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Duong Anh Duc on January 11 hosted visiting Treasurer of the Australian state of Victoria Tim Pallas, during which they exchanged directions for the promotion of cooperation between two localities.

Given robustly growing Vietnam-Australia ties, Duc said the city has set up friendship and collaboration ties with many Australian localities, including Victoria in May last year.

Noting that the southern Vietnamese economic hub's future growth orientations will create more cooperation opportunities with the Australian side, the official suggested HCM City and Victoria complete their plan of actions for joint works with a focus on the fields of  investment development, logistics, biotechnology, health care, education, human resources quality improvement, and two-way trade promotion.

Duc expressed his wish to strengthen the sides’ cooperation, exchange and learn from Victoria's experience in digital transformation, climate change response, start-ups and innovation, and the improvement of staff quality in economic development and public administration.

The two localities should jointly study and select practical and effective contents for 2023 serving the actualisation of their collaboration towards specific goals and mutual benefits, he recommended.

For his part, Pallas, who is also Minister for Industrial Relations and for Trade and Investment of the state, informed the host that his visit to the city – the first on his position as the treasurer and minister – aims to open the Victorian trade and investment representative office here and promote the practical implementation of agreements signed between the sides.

Victoria can learn a lot from Vietnam's economic growth achievements and is willing to exchange and share experiences for Vietnam and HCM City in areas of its strength, the official affirmed.

Pallas added that his state is among main sponsors of a dialogue programme between leaders of Australia and Vietnam, with the first edition gathering ten Vietnamese and Australian representatives and scheduled for the near future in HCM City. The programme will then be held in Melbourne, the capital of the state of Victoria./.

Vietnamese judo team top regional championship

Vietnam won 13 gold medals to top the Southeast Asian Judo Championship, which wrapped up on January 9 in Malaysia.

All the best athletes were sent to the Penang tournament, and they secured golds in five men's and seven women's combat categories in competitions of elite fighters.

Among the winners are Pham Quoc Quan (men's 55kg), Nguyen Hoang Thanh (men's 60kg), Nguyen Chau Hoang Lan (men's over-100kg), Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy (women's 52kg) and Nguyen Thi Nhu Y (women's over-78kg).

The championship also had classes for junior athletes. Vietnamese competitors successfully brought home 11 titles in both men's and women's pools.

Vietnam-funded vocational school handed over to Laos

Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training coordinated with the Lao Ministry of Education and Sports to hold a handover ceremony for a vocational school built with Vietnamese funding in Nongbok district, Khammouane province, Laos, on January 11.

The five million USD school is a gift of the Vietnamese Party, State and people to Laos on the occasion of President Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s visit to Laos in August 2021.

Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Huu Do said the vocational school will help to train high skilled labourers, contributing to socio-economic development of Khammouane in particular and Laos at large. 

Hanoi develops human resources for health sector

Hanoi aims to have doctors at all healthcare stations by 2025, according to a human resources development plan for the 2022-2025 period issued by the municipal People’s Committee.

By 2025, there will be 26.4 nurses and midwives per 10,000 inhabitants, and up to 41% of the officials and employees in public health facilities will obtain bachelor's and post-graduate degrees.

To realise the target, the city will adopt some measures including raising the number of hospital beds by 4,704 by 2025, and 1,555 doctors, 2,595 nurses and midwives, and 338 pharmacists will be employed in the sector.

Hanoi will devise recruitment plans to ensure that there will be enough health workers at facilities across the city.  It will coordinate with universities and colleges to attract high-quality human resources for units under the Department of Health and devise policies to support the training of medical staff to improve their professional skills, especially at the grassroots level.

Quang Ngai residents receive free medical care from Korean doctors

As many as 1,500 adults and children in Quang Ngai Province are being given free medical services by Korean doctors, as part of a medical program held by the Doosan Enerbility Vietnam Company (Doosan Vina) in coordination with the Chung Ang University Hospital (CAU) and the Community Chest of Korea.

This year’s 12th medical service program takes place for five days, from January 9 to 13.

Under the program, 420 adults and 180 children from Tinh Ha and Tinh Phong communes in Son Tinh District were examined at the Quang Ngai Hospital for Women & Children between January 9 and 10.

In addition, the doctors provided medical checkups and treatment for 635 adults and 265 children from Binh Chau and Binh Tan Phu communes at the Binh Chau Medical Center in Binh Son District.

Doosan Vina, CAU and the Community Chest of Korea, also presented medical equipment worth over VND554 million to the Quang Ngai Hospital for Women and Children.

CAAV proposes increase in bus services at airports during Tết

The Civil Aviation Administration of Việt Nam (CAAV) has proposed the people's committees of Thanh Hóa, Nghệ An and Quảng Bình provinces increase the number of buses and their operating hours, especially at night, to serve passengers on night flights during Tết.

CAAV Director General Đinh Việt Thắng signed a document on Tuesday, requesting the coordination of localities to serve travellers.

In addition, CAAV asked other transport service providers at the airport, such as taxis and ride-hailing cars, to increase their operating time and the number of vehicles.

The people's committees of the three provinces were also requested to direct local inspection agencies and police to coordinate with the airport authorities on inspecting and supervising security and order at the airports, as well as to promptly handle groups or individuals suspected of using unlicensed cars and illegal raising fares. 

Students aged 12-16 arrested for homemade firecracker production

In a shocking discovery, authorities in the northern province of Thái Nguyên have uncovered a widespread illegal operation involving the production, storage, transportation, and sale of homemade firecrackers among students between the ages of 12 and 16.

According to police, the students bought materials and made the firecrackers following instructions they found on the Internet. In addition to burning the firecrackers for fun, some also make large quantities of them to sell and earn money.

Lê Văn Lượng, captain of a police team in Võ Nhai District, said 13 suspects had been arrested, including four secondary students.

The police also seized more than 40kg of firecrackers and hundreds of kg of materials to make firecrackers, he said.

The students were found to make their own firecrackers which weigh up to 2kg and 10cm in diameter, he added.

The activities of making homemade firecrackers are dangerous, and could have serious consequences, he said.

Any individual illegally producing firecrackers is liable to receive an administrative sanction from the authorities or could be charged with a criminal offence, he said.

Police said three students named T.H.T, L.N.T.T and P.V.Q, studying in a secondary school in Đồng Hỷ District, Thái Nguyên Province, were arrested while transporting home-made firecrackers to sell.

The police seized 216 homemade firecrackers weighing a total of 18.5kg.

Along with the risk of insecurity and disorder, children making their own firecrackers could lead to accidents, police warned.

Mekong Delta vegetable farmers busy producing for Tết

Farmers in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta are expecting good harvests and selling prices of vegetables grown for the coming Tết (Lunar New Year) festival, which falls on January 22.

They have increased vegetable growing areas for Tết as demand for vegetables for the festival is higher compared to normal days.

In Sóc Trăng Province, farmers are growing about 2,500ha of vegetables, watermelon and corn, according to the province’s Plant Protection and Cultivation Sub-department.

Nguyễn Thành Phước, head of the sub-department, said the prices of most vegetables are stable, but the prices of some vegetables such as lettuce and chives have been increased slightly to VNĐ3,500-7,000 (15-30 US cents) a kilogramme.

Farmers in Sóc Trăng are harvesting red onion, white radish and other kinds of vegetables to sell for Tết.

Cao Thành Hiệp in Sóc Trăng’s Châu Thành District said his family grew 2,000sq.m of white radish for Tết and is expected to earn a profit of nearly VNĐ20 million ($860).

White radish has an average yield of 4-5 tonnes per 1,000sq.m and traders now buy it at a price of VNĐ5,000 a kilogramme, he said.

Traders in Sóc Trăng are busy buying vegetables to sell them inside and outside the province.

Nguyễn Hoài Hận, a trader in Sóc Trăng’s Mỹ Xuyên District, said sales of vegetables will begin increasing sharply when it is one week away from Tết.

Traders in the province now sell dozens of tonnes of vegetables, mostly cabbage, cucumber, white radish and chives, to other southern provinces and cities, he said.

Vegetables such as cabbage and corn have a short maturity of 2.5-3 months but they offer a profit of three to four times higher than growing rice, according to farmers.

In Tiền Giang Province, farmers are growing more than 20,000ha of vegetables with an estimated output of 400,000 tonnes, according to the province Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

To help farmers get higher profits for Tết, the department has provided farmers advanced farming techniques and encouraged them to grow vegetables to high quality standards.

Tiền Giang’s clean vegetable co-operatives each supply 2-3 tonnes of more than 20 kinds of clean vegetables to the market a day, and this quantity is estimated to double on Tết, according to the co-operatives.

In Cà Mau Province, farmers in Cà Mau City have used advanced farming techniques to grow vegetables and watermelon, which is one of the most popular fruits during Tết.

Cà Mau City’s Lý Văn Lâm Commune is well known for its watermelon and is growing 94.5ha of the fruit, including 22ha planted to Vietnamese good agricultural practices (VietGAP) standards.

Lâm Hoàng Sơn in the commune has planted watermelon for 17 years and started growing the fruit to VietGAP standards three years ago.

Mạc Ngọc Truyền, chairman of the Lý Văn Lâm Farmers Association, said farmers who do not grow VietGAP-certified watermelon have also applied advanced techniques to grow the fruit to increase yield and quality and secure food safety.

The commune’s watermelon growing areas use plastic mulch to cover soil beds to prevent the growth of grass and diseases, reduce tending and save irrigation water, he said.

The Cà Mau City Farmers Association has encouraged farmers to grow vegetables to VietGAP standards to ensure food safety.

High-speed HCM City-Cần Thơ railway construction needs US$9 billion

Construction of a planned high-speed railway between HCM City and Cần Thơ City needs a total investment of nearly VNĐ214 trillion (US$9 billion).

The Railway Project Management Board, which is in charge of doing a pre-feasibility study for the HCM City - Cần Thơ railway project, has reported to the Ministry of Transport research results, including the proposed investment capital, for the project.

The research results were given after the Railway Project Management Board worked with six localities where the project passes through.

The investment capital depends on technology that will have to be adjusted and updated during further research in the next stage.

The new railway route will be nearly 175km long, with 15 stations and 11 maintenance and repair stations.

It will start at An Bình Station in Bình Dương Province, pass through HCM City and Long An, Tiền Giang and Vĩnh Long provinces, and end at Cái Răng Station in Cần Thơ City.

Passenger trains will run at 190km per hour and freight trains at 120km.

The consulting unit proposes the project be invested in the public-private partnership (PPP) form under a build-transfer-lease (BLT) contract.

Beauty of Spring on exhibit at Fine Arts’ Association

Paintings featuring landscapes, villages, flowers and rivers by a group of artists are on display at the HCM City Fine Arts Association.

The event, Xuân Trong Tôi (My Spring), celebrates the Lunar New Year holiday, which falls on January 22 this year. 

It displays 160 colour paintings in different materials highlighting the themes of Spring, love and youth created by 23 artists from HCM City and southern provinces.  The artists’ works tell the stories of people and life.  

Her work called Hừng Đông Sau Rừng (Dawn in the Jungle) completed last year sends messages about life and revival.  Hồng Phượng captures the smiles of girls living in remote villages of the northern province of Hà Giang in her works. Xuân Trong Tôi runs at the city’s Fine Arts Association, 218A Pasteur Street in District 3. 

Domestic elephant to be taken to Yôk Đôn National Park

A man in Lắk District, the Tây Nguyên (Central Highlands) province of Đắk Lắk will hand over his family-owned elephant to the provincial Centre for Elephant Conservation, Animal Rescue and Forest Protection Management, following the Animals Asia Foundation (AAF)-supported programme.

Director of the centre Trần Xuân Phước said that the elephant, named Y Khun, will be taken to Yok Đôn National Park after Tết ( Lunar New Year). The 40-year-old male elephant was raised by Đặng Vân Long's family and used to give rides to tourists.

During the pandemic, the elephant lived in a forest but struggled to find food so Long decided to hand him over to the centre.

The elephant’s owner will be paid VNĐ700 million (US$29,660) for the animal.

This is the eighth domestic elephant collected by the centre, part of the cooperation programme between Đắk Lắk Province authorities and the AAF.

Through AAF funding, from 2022, the Đắk Lắk Province authorities have agreed to spend more than VNĐ55.4 billion ($2.2 million) to convert the model of elephant-riding to elephant-friendly tourism. The work aims to preserve elephant herds.

For many years, tourists riding elephants has affected the health, life expectancy and number of elephants in the area. According to the centre, the province has about 37 domestic elephants and 80-100 wild elephants, a 90 per cent decrease compared to 1980.

New Zealand re-launches scholarship program in Vietnam

The New Zealand Government is set to re-launch its New Zealand Schools Scholarships (NZSS) this year, a prestigious program offered exclusively to Vietnamese secondary-school students.

Through NZSS, which was initially launched in 2019, a number of Vietnamese recipients have gone on to achieve outstanding success during their time in New Zealand, with some receiving further scholarships from New Zealand’s world-class universities.

The 2023 program will offer scholarships from 45 New Zealand high schools. The program is the latest New Zealand Government education initiative in Vietnam following the New Zealand Education Fairs in Hanoi and HCMC in October last year, which attracted more than 1,000 attendees.

The scholarships are a vital part of the New Zealand-Vietnam education relationship, said New Zealand Ambassador to Vietnam Tredene Dobson.

2,000 poor students, workers gifted bus tickets to return home for Tet

The Student Support Centre and the Youth Union in Ho Chi Minh City gifted bus tickets to 2,000 disadvantaged students and workers on January 12 to allow them to return home for the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival.

Among them, nearly 1,000 poor students residing in northern, central and Central Highland regions received a gift worth VND1 million each and an envelope of lucky money with VND300,000 each.

Most notably, 100 students impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic got a gift valued at VND450,000 each, as well as lucky money of VND2 million each.

The charity programme was first held in 2002 with the aim of encouraging students and workers to continue devoting themselves to study and work. So far as many as 58,925 students have been given assistance in the form of free bus tickets.

This year programme organisers have planned to spend VND2 billion on supporting 2,000 poor students and workers to ensure that they can return home to celebrate Tet. Many of the beneficiaries have not been able to return home for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Free Tet flights arranged for low-income workers

Nearly 500 workers in some southern localities were given free flights on Wednesday evening to return to their homes in the central region for the Tet Lunar New Year Holiday.

The workers were transported on two flights which departed from Tan Son Nhat Airport in HCM City and landed at Tho Xuan Airport in Thanh Hoa Province and Vinh Airport in Nghe An Province.

The free flights were organised by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour for workers facing economic difficulties.

Upon landing at the Vinh Airport early this morning, 230 workers were given gifts worth VND300,000 each by the Nghe An Provincial Confederation of Labour.

At Tho Xuan Airport, vice chairman of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour, Phan Van Anh, and local officials also came to give Tet gifts to 225 workers who returned from HCM City for the Tet Holiday.

After safely landing at Tho Xuan Airport, returning worker Hoang Dinh Nam said that he hadn't been able to return home for Tet Holiday for the last 14 years due to financial difficulties.

Another worker, Nguyen Thi Thang, from Nghe An Province said that this was the first time she had travelled by air.

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