Cruise tourism plays a crucial role in attracting foreign visitors to the central province of Thua Thien-Hue, contributing to its overall socio-economic development.

Recently, at a meeting with the Royal Caribbean Group, Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Nguyen Thanh Binh proposed the US-based cruise company include Chan May port in its scheduled destinations for 2024 and the following years.

Additionally, he requested support and advice from the group for Thua Thien–Hue in the development of related tourism connectivity and products that highlight the province's distinctive strengths in cultural heritage, cuisine, and landscapes.

The province is implementing various measures to enhance partnership with cruise corporations, investment in infrastructure, and streamlining procedures to develop this tourism segment. The authorities have also established coordination mechanisms with neighbouring localities such as Da Nang city and Quang Nam province to develop more tour packages serving those coming by sea.

According to Wendy Yamazaki, a regional vice president for government relations (Asia) at the Royal Caribbean Group, Vietnam, one of the top three favorite destinations for international cruise tourists in Southeast Asia, is considered among strategic and popular stops on the group’s cruise itineraries.

The Royal Caribbean Group wishes to enhance cooperation with Thua Thien-Hue to promote the building of attractive products, inviting visitors to go on shore to explore the local ancient capital of Hue, she said.

Yamazaki stated that the group will continue to choose Hue as a scheduled destination and partner with the province in cruise tourism development.

According to the provincial Department of Tourism, in 2024, the number of cruise ships docked at the Chan May port is forecast to be double the figure recorded last year.

Semiconductor training needs good lecturers, infrastructure

The establishment of a semiconductor technology training programme is emerging as a trend among Vietnamese education institutions, aiming to meet the market's demand for skilled engineers in the field.

Deputy Minister of Education and Training Hoang Minh Son said although this training area is not entirely new, with major universities offering such programmes for many years. However, the number of students enrolling and graduating remains very low. The shortage of high-quality human resources, especially in high-tech fields, is a bottleneck in attracting large corporations to shift their research, development, and manufacturing investments to Vietnam.

About 35 local higher education institutions have the capacity to join the trend, with more than 10 currently offering semiconductor training programmes.

Leading universities with experience in engineering and technology disciplines, such as the Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Vietnam National University, Hanoi and Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City have well invested in their contingents of lecturers and infrastructure, including laboratories. Meanwhile, to get involved in the promising area, many of their peers are making efforts to prepare infrastructure, utilise existing human resources from related fields, recruit new lecturers, and invest in laboratories and practical training.

Son emphasised that the immediate task, first and foremost, is to enhance the capacity of higher education institutions, particularly regarding lecturers, infrastructure, technology, training programmes, and software tools.

The opening of semiconductor and microchip training programmes seem to be a timely move at present. However, many experts also advise against universities hastily following the trend. They said the quality of graduates and post-graduation job opportunities require careful consideration./.

Painting collection launched to mark Dien Bien Phu Victory

A painting collection has been issued to mark the 70th anniversary of Dien Bien Phu Victory, which falls on May 7.

Published by the Grassroots Culture Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the collection features 70 paintings selected from more than 500 works by nearly 300 authors who took part in a drawing competition from October 26, 2023.

It aims to popularise the great significance of the Dien Bien Phu Victory in particular and the resistance war against French colonialism in the the struggle for national independence to the public. They also honour the sound and creative leadership and political, military and diplomatic policies of the Party, which contributed to that victory.

These paintings are expected to disseminate and educate patriotism, revolutionary heroism, and the spirit of great national solidarity. They also honour the armed forces and people from all walks of life for their great contributions.

On March 13, 1954, the Vietnamese revolutionary army launched the first attack against the French colonialists’ heavily fortified base of Dien Bien Phu, starting a 56-day historic campaign whose victory directly led to the signing of the Geneva Accords on ending the war and restoring peace in Indochina.

During the 56 days of undaunted, brave, and creative fighting, the Vietnamese army and people created the Dien Bien Phu Victory that “resounded across the five continents and shook the globe”.

President Ho Chi Minh affirmed that the Dien Bien Phu Victory was a golden milestone in history that created the foundation and conditions for the Vietnamese people to secure victory in the resistance war against the US, liberate the South, and reunify the country in 1975./.

Hanoi pays attention to improving quality of people’s life

As one of the most populous cities in the country with a population of about 10 million people, the capital city of Hanoi has faced a lot of social issues relating to security and order, social evils and employment. Thus, the quality of life is uneven, and there is a gap between urban and rural areas.

To deal with above-mentioned issues, the city has set up a Steering Committee for Programme No.8 on developing the social security system, improving social welfare and quality of life of local residents for the 2021-2025 period.

The municipal Party Committee has directed the entire political system and administrations at all levels to take proper solutions to successfully implement the programme.

Nguyen Ngoc Tuan, Deputy Secretary of the municipal Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Council and head of the Steering Committee, said that in the coming time, the committee will focus on conducting communications work to popularise goals and solutions in this regard.

Attention will be paid to targets that are difficult to achieve, particularly those on social insurance and health insurance.  Citizens at the age of retirement are entitled to enjoy monthly pensions and social insurance.

The committee has issued an action programme, aiming to fulfill 27 targets of Programme No 8. Under the pact, the unemployment rate will be targeted at below 3% and jobs will be created for 165,000 people a year by 2025. The rate of employees participating in social insurance will reach 47.5% while the rate of those with unemployment insurance will hit 40%. Health insurance will cover 95% of the city’s population and the rate of poor households under the new standards will be 0.01%.

The Steering Committee will strive to ensure that all people under social protection receive monthly benefits and health insurance cards, Tuan said.
There will be 35 hospital beds per 10,000 people and the rate of people whose health is properly managed will reach over 98%. The rate of people at retirement ages enjoying monthly pension and social insurance will be 51-53%, he added./.

VND2 trillion for North-South railway section upgrade

A VND2-trillion (USD81,632) project to upgrade a section of the Hanoi-HCM City rail line was started on March 22.

The project will upgrade the section running through Khe Net Pass in the central province of Quang Binh’s Huong Hoa District. It will focus on building two tunnels, three bridges, one station and seven kilometres of railway.This is the first railway project in Vietnam using Official Development Assistance from the Korea Economic Development Cooperation Fund and reciprocal capital from the Vietnamese government.

Vietnam’s railway network runs through 34 cities and provinces with a total length of 3,143 kilometres, including 1,726 kilometres on the North-South route.

VND7 trillion has been arranged for key and urgent railway projects during the 2016-2020 period.

Lai Chau tightens tourism activities in local forests

Authorities in the northern mountainous province of Lai Chau have asked for tightened management of tourism activities in forests in the area following a recent fireworks display that could have caused a fire. 

The fireworks display was organised by tourists at a birthday party in a forest on the Pu Ta Leng Mountain on March 16.

According to the deputy director of the Lai Chau Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, Tran Quang Khang, trekking and mountain climbing have become popular among tourists visiting the province.

"However, we've recently seen people cutting mountain azalea and organising fireworks displays, which threaten the mountains and forests in the area," Khang said. "We'll strictly punish these violations."

The official said they would co-operate with travel companies on tours that ensure forest protection.

The move came after a video clip showing a group of tourists enjoying fireworks in a local forest.

An investigation by Lai Chau Police Department showed that the fireworks display was organised by 22 tourists at a birthday party in a forest on the Pu Ta Leng Mountain on the evening of March 16.

A member of another tourist group, Vu Duc Tam, tried to persuade the group to stop the fireworks display and posted the video on social networks.

Lai Chau is home to six out of Vietnam’s 10 highest mountains.

Pu Ta Leng Mountain is famous for its dense primaeval forests and has become a popular destination for mountain climbing. Tourists can admire the beautiful azalea in full blossom when reaching the height of 2,000-2,600 metres at this time of the year.

Athletes take part in handball club championship

The National Handball Clubs Championships began on March 22 at the Lãnh Binh Thăng Gymnasium in HCM City.

A total of 120 coaches and athletes of four men's and four women's clubs from Hà Nội, Bình Định, Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu and the hosts take part in the event. The final will be on March 27.

"Handball is a sport that receives strong support from some localities," said Đào Đức Kiên, official of the Sports Authority of Việt Nam.

"The national clubs championship is the opening event of 2024.

"Later we will organise the National Handball Championship. Athletes' performance from these two tournaments will be key for us to select players for the national team which will compete in the international competitions."

This year, the Southeast Asian Handball Championship will be held in Thailand which will also host the 33rd SEA Games 2025 where handball is also an official sport.

Handball, an official sport of the Asian Games and a regular one at the SEA Games, has been also nominated as one of sports in the Pot 1 of the ninth National Sports Games in 2026 in HCM City.

Central city to start construction of waste treatment project

The Việt Nam Environment Joint Stock Company has been finalising procedures to start construction of the Khánh Sơn waste treatment project in the third quarter of 2025 with a processing capacity of 650 tonnes per day.

Vice chairman of Đà Nẵng’s people’s committee, Lê Quang Nam confirmed this at a press conference on March 21, stressing that the project had submitted the business licence and preparation work for the project to begin soon.

He said the project investor agreed to build an advanced technology waste processing plant to deal with the city’s daily waste in line with the eco-city design for the future.

Vice director of the city’s natural resources and environment Võ Nguyên Chương said the project would use a German-standard waste-to-energy incinerator at the site.

Chương said the waste treatment project was designed within the city’s Master Plan for an environmentally and eco-friendly urban area.

He said nearly US$3 million had been donated from international partners in technical support for environment protection and management.

The waste treatment project, proposed in 2019, needed three adjustments in terms of technology and investment capital.

It was designed to process 650 tonnes per day, of which 350 tonnes of industrial waste would be classified for power-incineration each day.

Some 7,000 litres of PO oil would be produced from waste treatment at the project.

According to a report from the city, the project had a registered investment capital of more than VNĐ2.021 trillion ($80.8 million), in which the Việt Nam Environment Joint Stock Company contributed VNĐ404 billion ($16.1 million), or about 20 per cent share of investment.

Đà Nẵng produces more than 1,100 tonnes of garbage each day, of which 74 per cent was food, garden and park waste, and more than 11 per cent was plastic. Only 10 per cent of total waste is recycled, while an incineration system only processes 200kg of medical solid waste per hour.

The city has been developing a plastic waste recycling formula as part of a project funded by the Danish International Development Agency (Danida) and implemented through International Development Enterprises between 2021-24 in three districts: Thanh Khê, Sơn Trà and Ngũ Hành Sơn.

The application of the 3Rs (reduce, reuse and recycle) has been carried out in the city since 2012, helping raise community awareness about sorting recyclable waste (including paper, metal and plastic) from hazardous waste (batteries and light bulbs) and solid waste. 

Bình Phước focuses on developing high-tech agriculture

The southeast province of Bình Phước is focusing on developing high-tech agriculture to improve productivity, profits and optimise production.

According to Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Phạm Thụy Luân, the province has a lot of room to develop high-tech agriculture.

The province possesses a variety of high-quality agricultural products such as durian, red-fleshed guava, green-skinned grapefruit, mangosteen, avocado, jackfruit, bird's nest and melon.

Most products meet VietGAP and GlobalGAP standards, and the One Commune One Product (OCOP) certification.

Bình Phước has abundant agricultural land of nearly 425,000 hectares to develop raw materials for large-scale cultivation and livestock farming. Of this land, rubber trees account for 26 per cent of the country's area, cashew trees account for more than 50 per cent of the country's area and pepper trees account for 10.7 per cent.

The livestock sector has attracted many large livestock corporations with about 480 farms.

The province has also been approved by the Prime Minister to plan many investment projects in the agricultural sector such as building modern technology slaughtering and processing factories for livestock and poultry, projects to develop eco-tourism areas and plan areas for cashew and rubber.

Along with that is a project to develop five fruit tree areas with about 5,000 hectares, pepper growing areas with an area of 3,000 hectares, and an area for high-tech livestock farming of about 9,500 hectares.

The province also has five high-tech agricultural zones including Đồng Xoài, Thanh Lễ, Đồng Phú, Hải Vương and Chơn Thành.

Huỳnh Thị Mỹ Nương, director of a company specialising in the provision of leadership training services, said that Bình Phước has great potential to develop high-tech agriculture thanks to suitable climate and soil conditions that not all localities have.

At the "EuroCham High Technology Agriculture, Industrial & Commercial Enterprises Connection Forum – Bình Phước Province 2024" organised in the province last week, Gabor Fluit, chairman of EuroCham and general director of De Heus Group in Asia, said that the province is strategically located in the southern key economic region, serving as an important gateway connecting Việt Nam, Cambodia and the region.

With abundant land resources, Bình Phước offers attractive investment opportunities in agricultural development projects, high-value crops, aquaculture, food processing and large-scale production, according to the chairman.

In the coming time, the EU - Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) promises to be a positive development step for Bình Phước. At the same time, with a nearly 99 per cent tariff reduction over the next decade, the province is well positioned to benefit from expanding access to the EU's 500 million consumer market.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phùng Đức Tiến believes that EuroCham businesses not only have technological strengths but also financial capacity and potential consumer markets for the province's agricultural industry. Therefore, the presence of European businesses would not only help Bình Phước change the face of agriculture towards sustainability but also contribute more positively to the local economy and society.

Since Bình Phước promoted the application of high technology in agricultural production, the value of high-tech agricultural production increased 40-50 times compared to traditional agricultural production models.

Therefore, Luân affirmed that the locality identified the development of high-tech agriculture as an inevitable trend. To gradually increase the added value of agricultural products, agriculture applying high technology and scientific and technological innovation would be considered key solutions.

“The application of high technology can solve challenges in agricultural development such as saving costs, increasing productivity, lowering prices, improving the quality of agricultural products and protecting the environment. It also helps farmers be proactive in production, overcome seasonality, reduce dependence on weather and climate, and meet market demand for high-quality agricultural products," Luân said.

Bình Phước aims to increase the area of agricultural production applying high technology to 10,800 hectares by 2030, the proportion of pig and poultry farms applying high technology to 90 per cent, while forming at least one new high-tech agriculture zone, organic agriculture with an area of about 1,000 - 2,000 hectares and developing 100 agricultural cooperatives that apply high technology.

Regarding attracting investment in high-tech agriculture, the province is also calling for investment in growing vegetables, tubers, fruits, and tissue culture on 200 hectares in Đồng Phú High-Tech Agricultural Park.

The province will prioritise attracting investment in sectors such as food processing, livestock and poultry slaughtering, woodworking, packaging, and tire and rubber mattress processing.

In addition, the province also calls for investment in other fields serving agriculture such as organic and microbiological fertiliser processing factories, preliminary processing and packaging factories, cold storage and fruit processing.

To achieve this goal, the province orients agricultural development with three key tasks including creating raw material areas, processing and forming value chains.

At the same time, there are overall support solutions such as re-planning raw material production areas, and policies to attract and support investors.

Enterprises investing in high-tech agriculture would enjoy incentives such as land rent exemption and reduction, technical infrastructure investment incentives, corporate income tax incentives and import-export tax incentives, Luân said.

The province would also synchronously develop infrastructure to serve agricultural production, implement digital transformation in agriculture, promote support for individuals investing in agricultural production to apply high technology and build brands.

At the same time, the province would train and attract high-quality human resources into high-tech agricultural production.

In 2023, Bình Phước's growth rate reached 8.34 per cent, ranking first in the Southeast region and 11th in the country. The province's agricultural sector increased by 10.25 per cent, the highest in the country, contributing 3.21 percentage points to the province's GRDP growth, surpassing the industry-construction sector. 

JICA supports upgrade northern Nghệ An irrigation system

The “Northern Nghệ An Irrigation System Upgrading Project” in Đô Lương District in the central province of Nghệ An was inaugurated on Friday.

The project was implemented during the period of 2013-23, with the loan provided by JICA, worth JPY19,1 billion (US$126.3 million) at the time of the loan agreement signing.

Through the implementation of the project, the irrigation system in four districts of Đô Lương, Diễn Châu, Yên Thành and Quỳnh Lưu has undergone significant updates under component 1. This expanded system now covers a total irrigation area of 28,801ha, providing essential water supply for domestic, livestock, and industrial needs, as well as serving various other purposes.

The training center of the Việt Nam Academy for Water Resources, located in Thạch Thất District, Hà Nội, was established as part of the project's component 2. Its main objective is to enhance the skills and knowledge of technical and research staff members in irrigation management across the country.

The project has also helped to increase the agricultural cultivation area and productivity, improve the inundation and environment, reduce the drought impacts, therefore enhancing the living standards of the people in the project area.

The project inauguration ceremony is one of the important events celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Việt Nam and Japan.

At the ceremony, Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development awarded JICA with the Certificate of Appreciation for JICA’s support and contribution to Việt Nam agriculture and rural development.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyễn Hoàng Hiệp, Deputy Party Secretary of Nghệ An Province Hoàng Nghĩa Hiếu, Minister, Embassy of Japan in Việt Nam Watanabe Shige, Senior Representative of JICA Việt Nam Office Takebayashi Yoko and representatives from many relevant agencies attended the ceremony. 

Collecting accurate data for effective domestic violence prevention and control

The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism is collecting comments on a draft decree governing databases to prevent and combat domestic violence.

Feedback will be accepted until May 18.

This decree applies to entities and individuals involved in building, maintaining, managing, operating and using databases related to domestic violence prevention and intervention.

It sets regulations on database management, including principles for operation, data sources, and the responsibilities of relevant authorities.

The ministry emphasises the importance of accurate data in domestic violence prevention, noting its critical role in policymaking and decision-making. The absence or incompleteness of information can lead to ineffective interventions.

Currently, data collection on domestic violence lacks objectivity, accuracy, and timeliness, and suffers from resource shortages. Existing databases are incomplete and disconnected from national population databases.

The Law on Prevention and Control of Domestic Violence No. 13/2022/QH15, effective since July 1, 2023, introduces new provisions to overcome shortcomings of the previous law and aligns with state policies to combat domestic violence and support Vietnamese families. 

Decree No 15 on food safety enables notable reform in State management

Reforms in the State management method for food production facilities, businesses and goods have seen positive results.

Enforcement agencies and the business community highly appreciated the changes brought about by Decree No. 15/2018/NĐ-CP and hoped that it would set a good precedent for reforms in other areas of State management.

Nguyễn Thị Minh Thảo, head of the Business Environment and Competitiveness Research Division under the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM), on Friday presented the results of the impact assessment of the decree after five years of implementation at a workshop in Hà Nội.

The workshop "Five years of implementing Decree No. 15/2018/NĐ-CP on food safety: results, issues, and recommendations" was organised by the institute.

It aimed to provide a forum for discussing changes in food safety management methods, achieved results, lessons, shortcomings and proposals.

She further added that prominent changes in the decree such as applying risk management principles based on the level of legal compliance of enterprises and the risk level of goods; adding exempted inspection subjects; comprehensive reform of State management on food safety for imported food; had addressed issues of overlapping management, provided flexibility for businesses in administrative procedures; shifted from pre-inspection to post-inspection.

Additionally, the adjustments and amendments of the decree compared to Decree No. 38/2012/NĐ-CP on food safety were in line with international practices, facilitating the production and business activities of enterprises, reducing pressure on customs authorities, and enhancing the management capacity and quality of State management agencies regarding food safety.

She said that the survey results from the institute showed that businesses had significantly reduced time, costs, and risks and had more opportunities to diversify production and business activities.

Consequently, the number of food-industry businesses had increased rapidly, creating job opportunities and income for millions of workers as well as making significant contributions to GDP and economic growth.

On the side of State management agencies, post-inspection activities had been strengthened and carried out more regularly. Customs authorities had reduced the pressure of customs clearance; cargo release time was faster, meeting international customs commitments.

Speaking at the workshop, Đặng Đức Anh, deputy director of the institute said that Decree No. 15/2018/NĐ-CP was evaluated as a breakthrough institutional reform, reflecting fundamental changes in the State management mindset, shifting from pre-inspection to post-inspection.

The decree had been implemented for five years. That was a legal document with significant impacts on the food-industry business community and changed the State management approach to food safety.

The assessment was crucial for formulating and organising the implementation of policies on food safety management as well as State policies in other specialised fields, he said.

However, Đậu Anh Tuấn, deputy secretary-general and head of the Legal Department under Việt Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), said that although there were many positive reforms, the decree still had some points that need further research and improvement.

For example, there were unclear regulations in determining the percentage of imported batch inspections in case of applying reduced inspection methods; or inconsistent enforcement for cases where products were trial samples.

In some local authorities, officials were found to still request businesses to submit documents multiple times even though there were requirements beyond regulations. The decree also lacked regulations on registering imported foods containing new additives. 

About 40 per cent of community tuberculosis cases remain undetected

Việt Nam's tuberculosis burden remains high, according to the Global Tuberculosis Report 2023 by the World Health Organization.

The country has risen from 16th to 11th place among nations with the most tuberculosis patients globally and also ranks 11th for multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis among 30 countries.

Particularly in the Southern region, the tuberculosis situation is severe and more complex than in the Northern and Central regions. Provinces such as An Giang and Cần Thơ in the Southwestern region reported a high number of tuberculosis cases in 2023, with incidence rates of 270 and 218 cases per 100,000 people, respectively.

In some areas, the high-risk group exhibits extremely high tuberculosis rates, reaching 400 to 500 cases per 100,000 people.

At the World Tuberculosis Day (March 24) commemoration on Friday  in Hà Nội, Đinh Văn Lượng, Director of the Central Lung Hospital and Head of the National Tuberculosis Control Programme, highlighted Việt Nam's ongoing struggle with tuberculosis.

Lượng noted that Việt Nam ranked 11th globally for both overall tuberculosis burden and multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis burden, indicating a persistent and concerning situation. He emphasised the complexity of tuberculosis trends in Việt Nam, citing a slow decline rate and inadequate investment in tuberculosis control efforts, which raises the risk of a community outbreak.

Lượng also expressed concerns that the number of tuberculosis patients detected annually in Việt Nam only accounts for about 60 per cent of the estimated total meaning more than 40 per cent of tuberculosis patients in the community remain undetected and untreated.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, tuberculosis control efforts in Việt Nam were severely affected. The number of patients detected in 2021 decreased by 22 per cent compared to 2020 and 24.5 per cent compared to 2019, making Việt Nam one of the countries with the highest reduction in tuberculosis detection globally due to the pandemic's impact.

Additionally, changes in the policy mechanism for procuring tuberculosis drugs from state budget sources pose challenges for the drug supply system of the National Tuberculosis Control Programme, according to Lượng.

The existence of locally sourced medicines with short-term shelf life risks expiration without approved policy mechanisms while funding for purchasing drugs for tuberculosis patients without health insurance cards remains uncertain. Tuberculosis patients at facilities lacking conditions for health insurance payment face difficulties. Financial autonomy at the grassroots level also impacts control activities to some extent.

Many provinces and cities face challenges due to insufficient manpower and funding. Coordination between public and private healthcare sectors is not sufficiently tight, affecting the referral of suspected tuberculosis cases from healthcare facilities outside the National Tuberculosis Control Programme.

Following the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Tuberculosis Control Programme has implemented comprehensive interventions to boost tuberculosis control. These efforts aimed to increase patient detection, improve diagnosis, and facilitate treatment admission to halt community transmission, effectively restoring tuberculosis detection activities post-COVID-19 impact.

The programme focused on enhancing and broadening active case-finding in communities, detecting positive cases at healthcare facilities, and employing advanced diagnostic strategies such as X-ray and Xpert testing methods. Integration with grassroots healthcare systems significantly improved diagnosis, treatment quality, and sustainable tuberculosis prevention.

To address financial constraints, the programme successfully transitioned tuberculosis drug payments from state budgets to the Health Insurance Fund. Additionally, it leveraged Ministry of Health support to facilitate payment for other tuberculosis-related services via the Health Insurance Fund, ensuring easy access to treatment options and transmission prevention for tuberculosis patients.

The Central Lung Hospital, under Ministry of Health guidance, developed "Guidelines for Active Case-Finding Activities, Tuberculosis Detection, and Respiratory Disease Management," aiming to standardise and synchronise nationwide active case-finding and tuberculosis detection activities. This initiative maximises the role of healthcare systems, particularly grassroots healthcare, in tuberculosis prevention and control.

Across the nation, 51 out of 63 provinces and cities have established specialised hospitals such as Lung, Tuberculosis and Lung Disease hospitals. This expansion reinforces tuberculosis control efforts and enhances case detection capabilities.

Dr Lượng outlined that the Ministry of Health - National Tuberculosis Control Programme would persist in executing suitable strategies and policies to bolster the role and capability of grassroots healthcare systems, encompassing personnel involved in tuberculosis control endeavours. This would entail proactive case-finding activities and the active detection of tuberculosis within communities and healthcare establishments.

Moreover, the National Tuberculosis Control Programme, along with provinces and cities, would provide counsel and proficiently implement documents and directives to reinforce the role of grassroots healthcare systems, healthcare services and drug procurement utilising the Health Insurance Fund. This would encompass the adoption of information technology in deploying electronic medical records. Simultaneously, efforts to sustainably mobilise resources domestically and internationally would be intensified, alongside the effective execution of the National Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Strategic Plan, with the ultimate objective of eradicating tuberculosis in Việt Nam by 2035.

Minister of Health Đào Hồng Lan underscored the aspiration for Vietnamese citizens to live in a tuberculosis-free environment, entrusting responsibility to the Ministry of Health, pertinent ministries, and localities through robust engagement. The Ministry of Health would oversee the assessment and synthesis of the objectives, tasks, and solutions outlined in Decision 374, which endorsed the National Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Strategy from 2020 to 2030. This would entail consultations, reviews, adjustments, and supplementation to align with global objectives.

In tandem with the implementation of the tuberculosis control programme, Việt Nam must bolster the capacity of grassroots healthcare and preventive healthcare, according to the minister. Integration of tuberculosis control initiatives with grassroots healthcare is imperative, alongside proactive efforts to locate and identify tuberculosis patients directly within communities. Additionally, establishing a robust legal framework is essential to execute tuberculosis prevention and control at the grassroots level. Furthermore, devising sustainable financial plans for long-term tuberculosis control funding sources poses a significant challenge, necessitating suitable transformation strategies to address this circumstance.

Vietnam offers free health check-ups to residents in Cambodian province

The Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia offered free health check-ups, medicines and 500 gifts in both cash and kind to Cambodian citizens and those of Vietnamese origin living in difficulties in the northeastern Cambodian province of Kratie on March 23.

The programme was carried out by the Cho Ray Phnom Penh Hospital, with the support of the Bank for Investment and Development of Cambodia (BIDC) - a subsidiary of the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV), and the Kratie provincial branch of the Khmer - Vietnamese Association.

Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyen Huy Tang thanked the Kratie provincial authorities and people for their support to the Vietnamese community living there.

He took this occasion to urge the Vietnamese community in Kratie to abide by Cambodia’s laws and local regulations for a better life in the country.

Meanwhile, Vice Governor of Kratie province Kham Sopheap said the activity was in line with the six priority policies outlined in the Pentagonal Strategy-Phase 1 of the Cambodian Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet.

General Director of the Cho Ray Phnom Penh Hospital Dr. Ton Thanh Tra said since its opening in March 2014, the hospital has held similar activities across Cambodia, with 2-4 trips annually.

The Kratie event marked the first such programme undertaken by the hospital's medical team in 2024, he said./.  

Vietnam praises ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community’s priorities in 2024

A Vietnamese delegation led by Director of the Department of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Luu Quang Tuan attended the 31st Meeting of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Council in the northern Lao province of Luang Prabang on March 24.

Speaking at the event, Tuan commended the priorities set by the ASCC under Laos's chairmanship in 2024, believing that this year's outcomes, led by Laos, would significantly contribute to regional cooperation and solidify the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)'s standing and influence on both regional and international stages.

Agreeing with orientations to sustainable development, increased culture-art cooperation and empowering women and children, the Vietnamese official expressed readiness to coordinate and support the implementation of initiatives and priorities in specialised areas, such as finalising ASEAN declarations on the prevention and elimination of child labour, mutual recognition and skill development for migrant workers which are slated for submission to ASEAN high-ranking leaders; regional guidance and reports, and hosting key events.

Concluding the event, ministers and heads of delegations issued a Joint Statement and agreed in principle on a list of ASCC documents and declarations to be presented at the 44th and 45th  ASEAN Summits later this year.

They also reached consensus on the content of the ASCC Meeting's report, which will be submitted to the ASEAN leaders./.

Runners to take on biosphere reserve track

Runners from nationwide will be competing in the Kon Chu Rang Half Marathon, held in a UNESCO-recognised world biosphere reserve, in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai on May 12, calling for donations to support conservation activities and poor families in the region.

The race, co-organised by the VietRace365 company and GreenViet (a non-profit NGO on biodiversity research), expects to draw 1,000 runners racing in team and individual events on 21km, 10km and 5km routes.

It said children from the age of 7 are eligible for the one-day race starting at the park’s administration centre in Kbang district, and early bird tickets are offered at between 549,000 - 849,000 VND for booking time on March 7-31.

The race’s organisers have been negotiating with travel agencies and bus services offering the best price for runners from Ho Chi Minh City to Pleiku city and transit to Kbang district.

Competitors will run through primary forest on concrete tracks and stay at the camp site in the reserve.

In 2021, UNESCO recognised the Kon Ha Nung Plateau Biosphere Reserve including two core areas, Kon Chu Rang Nature Reserve and Kon Ka Kinh National Park, on a total area of 413,511.67ha in the province.

Runners can visit website https://timve365.vn for further information./.

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