Along with support policies from the Party and State, education, especially vocational education, is considered one of the systematic and sustainable solutions to poverty.

A national survey on households living under and near the poverty line in 2022 according to the multidimensional poverty standards for the 2022-2025 period, which was released in January 2023, showed that the rate of such households was 7.52%, or over 1.97 million.

This year, the country’s poverty rate is estimated to decline to 2.93%, down 1.1%, while the rate of poor households in poor district is expected to stand at about 33%, a reduction of 5.62%, and the rate in ethnic minority groups is hoped to drop to 17.8%, completing the targets set by the National Assembly and Government.

However, according to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA), poor people in Vietnam easily relapse, especially those from mountainous and ethnic minority-inhabited areas.

A report released by the ministry in the second half of 2022 indicated that the poverty reduction in Vietnam has yet to be sustainable, as the risk of relapsing and falling into poverty is high.

It clarified that 20% of households from ethnic minority groups who escaped from poverty in 2016 fell back into poverty in 2018, while the rate among Kinh and Hoa groups was 7.6%.

In the 2021-2025 period, total capital poured to the National Target Programme on Poverty Reduction is 28 trillion VND (1.14 billion USD). However, the sustainable poverty reduction has faced many difficulties as the majority of households living on and near the poverty line have countered a lack of sustainable livelihoods, especially those who lack professional skills.

MoLISA Deputy Minister Le Van Thanh said that in order to reduce poverty in a sustainable manner, it is necessary to promote internal strengths of the people and the community, with special focus on developing socioeconomic infrastructure, vocational training, creating jobs and improving income for the poor.

MoLISA’s data showed that in the 2016-2020 period, 38% of target households escaped poverty and 53% of families became well-off households after receiving short-term vocational training support, while 90% of people, after vocational training at intermediate and college levels, found stable jobs and enjoyed good income, and sustainably escaped poverty.

In the National Target Programme for Sustainable Poverty Reduction in the 2021-2025 period, vocational training and job creation have been included into a particular project with specific targets, roadmap and criteria.

The project aims to boost vocational training development in terms of scale and quality, providing vocational training support to the poor and people in poor areas, associating vocational training and job creation and sustainable livelihood development, increasing income and improving living conditions for labourers from poor and near-poor households as well as households that have newly escaped from poverty.

Dao Trong Do, head of the Continuing Training Department under MoLISA’s Directorate of Vocational Education and Training (DVET) said that vocational training is an effective approach to sustainable poverty reduction, which will solve the shortage in income and access to fundamental social services.

The World Bank and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) recommended that Vietnam should improve labour productivity and skills, which is the key pillar for sustainable poverty reduction and growth. Instead of providing short-term vocational training support, the country should focus on formal vocational training at vocational schools, they advised.

Lessons learned in some countries such as Bangladesh, the Philippines, and the Republic of Korea affirmed the success of linking vocational education with sustainable poverty reduction. For Vietnam, many research reports also indicated that vocational education has a direct impact on employment and income of households, affecting the poverty status of households.

The multidimensional poverty in the group of household heads who have graduated from college or university is less than 1%, while the poverty status of the group whose household heads have not completed primary school is up to 26.6%. The poverty rate decreased in households whose heads had higher levels of education, and the pace of poverty reduction in households whose heads worked without vocational skills was lower than in other household groups.

On May 28, 2020, the Prime Minister issued a directive on promoting the development of skilled human resources, contributing to improving labour productivity and increasing national competitiveness. participate in the new situation.

Accordingly, Vietnam strives to have vocational education approaching the level of ASEAN-4 countries (namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines) by 2030, and by 2045 approaching the level of G20 countries. This is an effective way for people to get rid of poverty without falling back again.

Documentary highlights Vietnam-France friendship

“Cay Linden mua xanh la” (Linden tree in green season), a 50-minute documentary film that has been aired on the Vietnam Television (VTV), has received great attention from the Vietnamese community in France thanks to its success in highlighting the friendship between people of Vietnam and the European country.

The documentary tells the story of the 50-year-old Vietnamese Embassy building in Paris through conversations with historical witnesses, and those who supported Vietnam during the hardest time in history 50 years ago.

Speaking to Vietnam News Agency (VNA) correspondent in Paris, screenwriter Nguyen My Linh, the author of the documentary, said that the documentary is made on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam-France diplomatic relations,

Linh said that the embassy building, which was built with the support of the Vietnamese community in France, has a close attachment with the growth of Vietnam's diplomacy in France.

The journalist, who is a VTV correspondent in France, attributed the success of Vietnamese diplomacy in France to the support of a patriotic Vietnamese community that has always looked towards the homeland and accompanied Vietnamese diplomats through different periods of history.

Linh said she also received the support of many French people who love Vietnam during the process of making the film.

Linh said she plans to make a French version of the film in order to gain a wider audience among the second-generation Vietnamese community in France.

Senior Amateur Championship to prepares to tee off in Việt Nam

Việt Nam will host the 2023 Asia-Pacific Senior Amateur Championship for the second time on November 21-23 at the Vinpearl Resort & Golf Nam Hội An in Quảng Nam Province.

It will feature around 100 golfers from 47 member countries of the Asian-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) such as Japan, South Korea, China, New Zealand, Hong Kong, India, Thailand and Malaysia.

They will compete in individual and team categories for men and women, competing in 54 holes.

"There are three goals we strive to achieve in this tournament," said Bạch Cường Khang, tournament director.

"We want to show Vietnam Golf Association's ability to organise international tournaments; prove that the infrastructure in Việt Nam can serve quality golf event; and introduce and promote the image of Việt Nam as a golf destination and a friendly tourist country.

"Most of all, we hope that athletes will have a deep impression with the tournament and Việt Nam."

The APGC Senior Amateur Championship is the Asia-Pacific’s premier team and individual championship for senior male golfers.

The winner receives exemption into The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews's (R&A) Senior Amateur Championship. Eligible players are amateurs who are 55 years old and over and their handicaps do not exceed the handicap limit for their age category at the time of entry, or who are an exempt player.

The tournament was inaugurated in 2006 and has been held 12 times, with the most recent edition taking place in Malaysia in 2019.

In 2013, Việt Nam hosted the competition for the first time at the Montgomerie Links Golf Course in the central city of Đà Nẵng. 

National track-and-field tournament to be held in Hanoi this week

The 47th national track-and-field tournament will take place at Mieu Mon National Military Training Centre on the outskirts of Hanoi from October 24-28.

The 47th national track-and-field tournament is to select the best players to train in the lead up to the 33rd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 33) and the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics in France.
 
As many as 474 athletes have registered to compete in 24 event for men and 24 events for women, along with two mixed relay events (4x100m and 4x440m).
  
In addition to distance races, athletes will also compete in high jump, pole vault, long jump, triple jump, shot put, javelin throw, discus throw, hammer throw, and decathlon (for men) and triathlon (for women).

The national track-and-field tournament is held by the Vietnam Athletics Federation to evaluate the training quality of localities and industries, and to select talented athletes for national and international competitions.

This year’s competition is to select the best players to train in the lead up to the 33rd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 33) and the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics in France.

All players who just competed at the 19th Asian Games (ASIAD) in Hangzhou, China will participate in the 47th edition.

Ministry proposes to raise social assistance standard level to 500,000 VND

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs is finalising a draft decree to amend and supplement some provisions of the Government’s Decree No. 20/2021 on social assistance policies for social protection beneficiaries.

The draft decree outlines two options for raising the social assistance standard level.

Under Option 1, the monthly level would increase from 360,000 VND (14.67 USD) to 500,000 VND. This means the annual budget for implementation would be over 37.1 trillion VND, compared to the current 9.46 trillion VND. The decree is expected to take effect from July 1, 2024, with the state budget allocation for 2024 to increase by about 4.7 trillion VND as compared to 2023.

Option 2 proposes raising the monthly level to 750,000 VND, resulting in the total annual budget for implementation of approximately 54 trillion VND. In this option, the expected date for the decree to come into force is the same, with the 2024 budget 13.1 trillion VND more than that for 2023.

The ministry has proposed that the government consider Option 1, as it ensures the social assistance increase under a roadmap in correlation with other social policies, maintaining fairness among groups in particularly difficult circumstances so that no one is left behind. The option is also consistent with the budget allocation for social security and meets the minimum living standard for social protection beneficiaries.

According to the ministry, the total number of people currently receiving monthly social assistance exceeds 3.35 million.

Data For Life 2023 competition draws hundreds of entries

The "Data For Life 2023" competition had received nearly 200 entries from 197 teams with more than 580 participants nationwide since its launch in early August to September 30, said a representative from the ministry’s Police Department for Administrative Management of Social Order on October 21.

The entries were categorised into digital government and digital society, artificial intelligence and digital transformation, transportation and agriculture; education, health care and environment.

Following deliberations, the judging panel for each category selected 10-11 ideas to advance to the presentation round. As a result, a total of 41 entries made it to the preliminary round, 11 higher than the initial estimate.

The final round is slated for November 23-24, with 10 teams taking part. The top five will be honoured. 

The prizes are worth 370 million VND (15,400 USD) in total, with 200 million VND for the first prize and 100 million VND for the second prize.

Russian oncologist interested in collaboration with Vietnam

Vladimir Moiseenko, Director of the Napalkova cancer centre in St. Petersburg – one of Russia's leading cancer diagnosis and treatment establishments, expressed his interest in further enhancing collaboration in cancer treatment with Vietnam at a recent interview with the Vietnam News Agency.

Moiseenko, also a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said cancer is on the rise in every country, particularly in developing nations like Vietnam. Successful cancer treatment largely depends on early detection, and it is crucial to focus on identifying tumors at an early stage.

According to the oncologist, Russia has been actively implementing early detection programmes, and over 50% of patients diagnosed in the early stages can be completely cured. When the disease reaches its later stages, treatment mainly aims to prolong life or ensure a better quality of life for patients.

The Napalkova cancer centre, equipped with modern facilities following international standards, conducts over 40 surgeries and provides radiation therapy to 350 patients daily.

Napalkova is ready to treat Vietnamese patients on a paid basis, Moiseenko said, adding that the centre has been cooperating with oncology hospitals in Vietnam for the past five years.      

The sides’ collaborative approach involves discussions and information exchanges on treatment for specific patients, and the doctor expressed his desire to further strengthen joint works with his peers in Vietnam, particularly regarding remote consultations for surgical cases.

Running event raises funds for disadvantaged children

Mottainai Run, themed “Run for strong kids”, took place in Hanoi's Hoan Kiem pedestrian street on October 21-22, in a bid to raise funds for orphans and children affected by traffic accidents.

The event, in its 10th edition, attracted over 1,000 professional and amateur runners, including many foreigners, a 79-year-old woman and a 3-year-old kid.

As part of the event, a ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of Mottainai Run was also held, with the participation of around 300 orphans and disadvantaged children from cities and provinces nationwide.

The Mottainai Bazaar also featured dozens of booths, lively activities and team-building games during two days.

On October 21, a music gala also took place at Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc square.

After nine editions, the event held by the Women of Vietnam's newspaper, drew over 500,000 participants and benefited nearly 6,000 underprivileged children. It received a certificate of merit from the Japanese Embassy and and was awarded the Women's Creativity Prize in 2017.

Launched in May, the 2023 event was held under the auspices of the Vietnam Women's Union (VWU), the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam and the National Traffic Safety Committee.

It was also part of celebrations for the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic ties, the 93rd founding anniversary of the VWU and the 75th anniversary of the Women of Vietnam's newspaper.

Art programme rounds off Vietnam culture week in France’s Versailles

A grand gala night has rounded off a Vietnamese culture week held by the Versailles-based Enfance Partenariat Vietnam (EPVN) from October 16 to 20 in Versailles, France.
 
EPVN was founded in 2007 by parents who wished to help orphaned children in Vietnam and strengthen the bonds between Vietnam and France. Its main objective is to improve the living conditions of children in orphanages and underprivileged families in Vietnam through humanitarian aid, including providing supplementary food or milk for infants, conducting vaccination campaigns, organising medical activities, supplying hygiene products, and raising awareness in these areas.

Addressing the gala, Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang appreciated what EPVN has made for Vietnamese children. He affirmed that the Vietnamese culture week in Versailles is an important and meaningful event, especially when the countries celebrate the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations and 10th anniversary of their strategic partnership.

Mayor of Versailles François de Mazières highlighted that the culture week has demonstrated the spirit of solidarity and creativity of the Vietnamese community there, playing a part in strengthening the bond between the people of the two nations.

The highlights of the last of the four-night programme included a chorus of a series of homeland-themed Vietnamese songs by 12 French children, an exhibition of more than 100 traditional costumes, scarves, and headwear representing the 54 ethnic groups of Vietnam, and a fashion show of Vietnamese traditional attire.

Canada wishes to step up judicial cooperation with Vietnam

Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court Nguyen Hoa Binh recently held a working session with Chief Justice of Canada Richard Wagner in Ottawa, as part of his working trip on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties.

Wagner told his guest that the Supreme Court of Canada wants to strengthen cooperation and share experience with Vietnam, adding that Canada also expects to step up judicial collaboration with Vietnam.

Binh informed the host about his successful working trip, which he said, was made possible with the support of various Vietnamese representative offices in Canada and relevant Canadian agencies.

He said the delegation had held a working session with units of the Canadian Department of Justice, during which they were updated about the court system, judicial independence, specialised courts and information about juvenile justice in the North American country.

According to him, the Supreme People's Court of Vietnam plans to submit a draft law on juvenile justice to the National Assembly next year.         

During a working session with the Chief Justice of the Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice, an unit that previously engaged in training cooperation with the Judicial Academy of Vietnam, Binh raised the issue of training collaboration between the institute and the Vietnam Court Academy in order to improve the capacity of Vietnamese judges through a course aimed at capitalising on the expertise and resources of the Canadian side.
         
Visiting other Canadian judicial institutions, Binh affirmed that bilateral judicial cooperation is an essential requirement, given that trade, investment, tourism, education ties and people-to-people exchange between the two countries are growing. He suggested the Canadian counterparts actively support coordination in this field.

At present, there are about 21,000 Vietnamese students in Canada and nearly 300,000 Vietnamese people living in the country. Therefore, legal matters are of utmost importance to address their needs, he said, adding that close judicial cooperation will also help Canadian investors feel secure when doing business in Vietnam, on the back of its transparent legal environment that protects investments and intellectual property.

In his view, effective legal cooperation between the two sides aligns with Canada's promotion of the Indo-Pacific Strategy, in which Vietnam plays a central role and serves as an active member of the Canada-ASEAN strategic partnership. It is also consistent with the current comprehensive partnership between the two countries.

Meeting the Vietnamese official, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly affirmed that Canada always considers Vietnam a key partner in its implementation of Indo-Pacific Strategy.

She also expressed her wish to further deepen ties with Vietnam in all areas, including politics-diplomacy, national defence-security, trade and economy, education and judicial affairs.

Vietnam actively joins eighth World Investment Forum

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) convened the eighth World Investment Forum (WIF) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) from October 16-20, focusing its discussions on investment challenges faced by developing nations amid the ongoing crisis.

A Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Tran Quoc Phuong attended and delivered speeches at the Enterprise Ministerial Roundtable, a symposium on financing the just energy transition partnerships: perspectives from Vietnam, Indonesia and South Africa, a high-level roundtable on investment in the energy transition, and a symposium on Industry 4.0 and the future of global investment.

They also had a booth at the Investment Village in the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

Following the WIF opening was the Forum and Global Leaders’ Investment Summit, with a focus on the urgent need to invest in critical areas such as food security, energy transition, health care system, supply chain resilience, and enhancing production capacity in the world's poorest countries. Discussions were centred on reviewing the impact of recent food, fuel and financial crises on international investments, as well as the role of international finance and cross-border investments in shaping a more comprehensive and self-reliant global future.

Themed “Investing in Sustainable Development”, the WIF also encompassed discussions on the upcoming global climate change negotiations at the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP28).

The WIF 2023 ended with a strong call to key investors to play a pivotal role in reshaping the global economy and seize new opportunities arising from the transformation of energy, agriculture, and health care sectors to provide innovative solutions for sustainable development.

The forum also announced a set of new investment policy tools, including the identification of 50 model Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) economic zones, the launch of a multilateral forum on reform of international investment agreements and collaboration with UN World Tourism Organisation to establish guiding principles for sustainable tourism investments. Several new partnership agreements and technical support projects were also unveiled.

Drivers not be forced to change licenses to PET cards

The centers for granting and changing driving licenses have recorded an overloaded situation within two recent weeks.

The Hanoi Department of Transport recommended that drivers should change their driving licenses to PET cards when they are really in need.

Amid the situation, the Hanoi Department of Transport recommended that drivers should change their driving licenses to PET cards when they are really in need.

Accordingly, the Department of Transport of the capital city of Hanoi said that two centers for granting and changing driving licenses at 258 Vo Chi Cong Street, Tay Ho District and 16 Cao Ba Quat Street, Ba Dinh District have received an average of 700 people per day from the beginning of October to now, an increase of 50 percent over the last months.

Many residents shared that they were concerned about information related to the proposal of the draft law on traffic order and safety requiring drivers to change licenses to PET cards so they had to promptly go to the centers to perform the procedures of changing driving license.

To meet the high demand, the department has equipped additional devices at each center and strengthened its staff to receive the documents.

Besides, the department has guided residents to book appointments for the procedures to avoid queuing and waiting, and propagandized and encouraged residents to perform the procedures online at level four on the National Public Service Portal.

However, the Department of Transport recommended that the old-style paper driving license is still valid according to the Department for Roads of Vietnam.

At the current time, there is not any regulation on the obligation of changing the driver's license from paper to PET card.

It is expected that in May 2024, the new Law on Road Traffic Order will be submitted to the National Assembly. If the law is approved, the Government shall build a plan, procedures and cost for convenient driving license change.

Therefore, residents do not necessary to change their driver's license at the current time.

Hospitals face medication shortages, depleted supplies

Various localities are still grappling with deficits in medicines, diagnostic chemicals, medical provisions, and even blood.

While Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has issued directives to the Ministry of Health and other relevant departments to promptly tackle the recent shortages of medicines and medical supplies, as of now, various localities are still grappling with deficits in medicines, diagnostic chemicals, medical provisions, and even blood.

Recently, several southern provinces and cities, including An Giang, Kien Giang, and Can Tho, have witnessed a notable surge in cases of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD). Unfortunately, there is a shortage of vital medications, such as Immunoglobulin, Phenobarbital, and Milrinone, leading to the transfer of many severe pediatric cases to Ho Chi Minh City for treatment. Consequently, some children have not received prompt medical attention, resulting in severe complications and tragically, fatalities.

According to data provided by the Pasteur Institute of HCMC, there has been a significant increase in HFMD cases in the Southern region from the beginning of this year to the present, with the number doubling compared to last year. Tragically, there have been 23 reported fatalities. The first peak in HFMD cases occurred at the end of July and the start of August, followed by a gradual decline. However, from the beginning of September, HFMD cases began to rise again and have been steadily increasing. In the past week, the number of HFMD cases has exceeded the first peak of the year and continues to rise further.

Given the circumstances, experts advise tertiary hospitals to promptly acquire a comprehensive stock of vital medicines and essential medical equipment to ensure proper on-site diagnosis, treatment, and patient care. Furthermore, they propose actively engaging in remote consultations for complex cases with tertiary hospitals to reduce the risk of unsafe hospital transfers.

Local Health Departments provide support, urge, and supervision to hospitals regarding the supply of medicines and medical equipment. According to some experts, the current medications for treating HFMD generally align with the treatment guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health.

Nonetheless, two specific medications, Immunoglobulin and Phenobarbital, crucial for severe patient cases, are currently facing supply challenges. These medications are wholly reliant on imports. Therefore, the Ministry of Health has continued encouraging enterprises and distributors to boost imports and ensure sufficient stock of these two drugs for disease treatment.

The Ministry of Health is also suggesting that localities adopt even more proactive measures in disease prevention and control. These measures include strengthening surveillance and outbreak management and intensifying public communication to ensure public understanding and compliance with disease prevention measures. Treatment facilities should rigorously implement patient triage and classification, along with providing suitable patient referrals.

At present, the vaccine supply in the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) in HCMC and nationwide is gradually dwindling. Many healthcare centers in HCMC have long been facing a shortage of vaccines, leading to an insufficient supply for preventing diseases in children.

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Mai Huong, 32 years old, residing in District 12, recounted how she took her child to the Dong Hung Thuan Ward Health Station in District 12 to receive the DPT-VGB-Hib vaccine (5-in-1 vaccine). Unfortunately, the healthcare staff informed her that the "5-in-1" vaccine was currently out of stock and recommended that, if possible, she should consider having her child vaccinated according to the recommended schedule through a private vaccination service provider at a cost of over VND1 million per dose.

According to the HCMC Department of Health, the vaccine supply for the expanded immunization program in the city is gradually diminishing. Vaccines such as DPT-VGB-Hib (the "5-in-1" vaccine), measles-rubella, measles, tetanus, and hepatitis B are projected to last for just a few more days.

The HCMC Department of Health has instructed the HCMC Center for Disease Control (HCDC) to continue efficiently coordinating the remaining vaccine supply among localities in the city and offer guidance to ward and commune health stations to meticulously manage and review lists of children due for new vaccinations, booster shots, and provide early vaccinations as soon as the vaccine supply is replenished. Not only vaccines for the EPI are in short supply, but many places are also experiencing shortages of medications for common diseases.

At Ba Ria General Hospital in Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province, despite having medications in reserve until the end of the last quarter of 2023, the current supply is inadequate to meet the growing healthcare demands, especially given the increasing patient numbers. While essential medications are in stock, there is a significant shortage of commonly used treatment drugs. Consequently, the hospital has had to substitute medications in the treatment process and explain this situation to patients.

Vung Tau General Hospital is currently grappling with a medicine shortage, particularly traditional medicines. A Ba Ria - Vung Tau Provincial Department of Health representative explained that the root cause of this shortage lies in the delayed progress of centralized drug procurement contracts compared to the initial expectations. This delay has, in turn, led to healthcare facilities being somewhat passive in their efforts to procure and supply medications. Furthermore, the prices of certain types of medicines have risen higher than the publicly disclosed bid results on the Electronic Information Portal of the Drug Administration of Vietnam. As a result, some suppliers have chosen not to participate in the bidding process.

The Mekong Delta region is facing a shortage of blood supply. The Hematology and Blood Transfusion Hospital in Can Tho City has issued a notice to healthcare facilities in the Mekong Delta, informing them of the temporary suspension of blood product deliveries due to challenges in procuring chemicals, medical supplies, and equipment for the 2023-2024 period.

Despite being the blood supplier for 74 hospitals and healthcare centers in the region, as of October 17, the hospital only has 86 units of blood in stock, while the weekly demand for blood supply in the Mekong Delta is 2,800-3,000 units, equivalent to 12,000-15,000 units per month.

Ministry strives to convert HCMC into ASEAN regional healthcare center

The Ministry of Health strived to convert Ho Chi Minh City into an ASEAN regional healthcare center that will meet the medical treatment needs of rich people who get used to going abroad for healthcare checkups.
 
This is the content of the workshop on solutions towards HCMC becoming an ASEAN Regional Health Care Center organized by the Ministry of Health and Tien Phong Newspaper.

Speaking at the conference, Head of the Department of Medical Service Administration under the Ministry of Health Associate Professor Luong Ngoc Khue said the number of patients in Ho Chi Minh City in the first 6 months of 2023 increased by 15 percent. Ho Chi Minh City is not only an economic, financial, science, technology and innovation center but also a medical center and health care center in the southern region of the country.

Thus, it is necessary to focus on the improvement of the quality of human resources, training medical personnel to international standards, development of synchronous and modern medical infrastructure and completion of legal documents guiding the implementation of the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment to attain its goal; plus, breakthroughs in specialized medicine, research, development and application of information technology in health, medical digital transformation international are needed.

According to Deputy Director of the Department of Health of Ho Chi Minh City Dr. Nguyen Anh Dung, in order to achieve its goal of HCMC - a health care center in the ASEAN region, the city has been implementing health projects including smart health project for the period 2021 – 2025 with a vision to 2030, the project on community health to protect, care and improve city dwellers’ health from 2021 to 2030, the project on development of specialized healthcare in Ho Chi Minh City for the period up to 2025 and the following years, the project on the formation of a center for early disease screening and diagnosis using high technology from now to 2030.

Residents join cycling parade responding to Action Month for Women

A program of cycling parade responding to the Action Month for Women in 2023 for the first time took place across streets in the city center this morning.

The People's Committee of District 1, HCMC coordinated with the Women's Union and Labor Confederation of District 1 to host the program.

Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City Tran Kim Yen, Secretary of the District 1 Party Committee To Thi Bich Chau, Chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City Women's Union Nguyen Tran Phuong Tran along with more than 300 officials and employees in District 1 attended the event.

The activity aims to respond to the “All people exercise their bodies following Uncle Ho's example” campaign, promote the “Each woman chooses a favorite sport to practice every day” movement and mark the 93rd anniversary of Vietnamese Women's Day (October 20).

The parade delegation rode bikes across the streets Le Duan - Hai Ba Trung - Ton Duc Thang - Nguyen Hue and came to President Ho Chi Minh’s Monument on Nguyen Hue Street to offer flowers to the President.

In 2023, the Standing Committee of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee agreed with the policy of choosing October annually as the Action Month for Women.

Through the program, Ho Chi Minh City can implement activities of taking care of women with difficult circumstances, giving support to start-up women, introducing jobs and promoting environmental protection activities.

Exhibition to promote wildlife conservation

 An exhibition of nearly 50 wildlife-themed artworks by comic artist Jeet Zdung is on display through November 20 at Sống or Live Platform in the central province of Hue City.

According to the organizer, contemporary wildlife art has gradually lost its sense of inclusivity and fallen under the sway of human narratives, as seen in the works of Damien Hirst or Kohei Nawa.

On the other hand, as a result of the many discussions about creativity in wildlife art, the bond between artists, scientists, and wildlife conservationists has grown stronger over time. This is the story of Jeet Zdung - an artist - and Trang Nguyen - a wildlife conservationist - as they worked together in Cat Tien National Park, Yok Don National Park, with the organization Free The Bears to create "Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear" and "Saving H'non: Chang and the Elephant."

Wildlife art not only reproduces the various forms and appearances of the natural world but also functions as a form of advocacy for wildlife conservation. The artworks capture the last moments in the lives of these animals, a reminder of the great losses in our ecology.

Following the "Into Wildlife" exhibition in July 2023 at the International Center for Interdisciplinary Science and Education (ICISE) in Quy Nhon, "AWAKE" presents the point of view of individuals who have dedicated themselves to observing the lives of these precious species. Their approach is motivated by deep respect and endless love as they capture the lives and stories of these creatures. By observing these illustrations and the artists' process, viewers are given the opportunity to study wildlife more closely, with a more romantic narrative, and ultimately become more aware of the work and importance of the wildlife conservation industry.

The exhibition is open to the public, nature lovers, and wildlife conservation researchers.

Hoan Kiem strives to be a friendly destination for tourists

Hoan Kiem District, located in downtown Hanoi and a magnet for many domestic and foreign visitors when they arrive in Hanoi, should continue to be a friendly destination for tourists as expected by Nguyen Ngoc Tuan, Chairman of the municipal People's Council.

Tuan stressed at a recent working session that Hoan Kiem District must take the lead in maintaining construction and urban order, renovating, beautifying, and upgrading streets, flower gardens, parks, villas, and buildings with cultural and historical value.

As the core district of Hanoi, Hoan Kiem District must be among the top localities to comply with the government's resolution dated May 2022 on "Direction and Tasks of Hanoi's Development until 2023, Vision until 2045."

"The district focuses on economic development with rapid and sustainable growth, in harmony with the development of socio-cultural fields and environmental protection. It also puts emphasis on trade, services, and tourism in the direction of culture, civilization, and modernity," Tuan added.

In addition, the district has set itself the task of tapping the potential of the walking space around Hoan Kiem Lake and surrounding areas, as well as maintaining political security, social order, and safety for activities and events in the area.

According to the Hoan Kiem District People's Committee, the district's average growth rate for 2020-2023 is estimated at 9.8%, of which the tourism industry posts a growth rate of 21.4%. The economic structure is shifting in a positive direction, the share of the service industry in the district's economic structure is 98.04%.

The district continues to identify historical and cultural architectural works and creative spaces as the district's most valuable strengths. This is an important lever to create structural transformation, reordering the economic priorities namely trade, handicrafts, and services.

Since 2021, five relics have been upgraded, including communal houses, Vu Thach Temple, Cantonese Assembly Hall 22 Hang Buom, Co Vu Communal House, Ha Vi Communal House, and Trung Yen Communal House.

Hoan Kiem District has proactively coordinated with travel companies to launch the "Heritage Journey" tour to preserve heritage values and promote tourist attractions in Hoan Kiem, gradually contributing to raising people's awareness and love, especially the young generation, in preserving and nurturing tangible and intangible cultural values.

As a result, tourists have spent more days on their itineraries to explore the unique features of the Old Quarter and cultural spaces in the district, especially the walking space around Hoan Kiem Lake, which has become an iconic symbol of success in organizing pedestrian streets throughout the country.

For better development, Nguyen Ngoc Tuan suggested that the district should find solutions to utilize and beautify the banks of the Red River.

Hanoi expands creative space network

Visitors to Hanoi's Cantonese Assembly Hall on Hang Buom Street are astounded to find a creative space inside the historic building.

The house is an architectural gem in Hanoi's Old Quarter for a confluence of Vietnamese, Chinese, and French cultural traits.

In recent years, it has become a venue for exhibitions, workshops, and seminars - a meeting place for artists and the public. As a testament to the splendor of the former Thang Long Imperial Citadel, it has been chosen as the main venue for this year's Photo Hanoi Biennale (April 21-June 3).

Capitalizing on its vital creative resources and the country's largest pool of creative spaces, Hanoi has planned to bring them together in a network.

Hanoi is a creative epicenter with the largest array of creative cultural spaces in the country. Their potential lies in their ability to foster community connections, inspire creativity, and enhance the attractiveness of urban areas steeped in traditional values. The community benefits from creative spaces through spiritual enrichment, job creation, and support for sustainable development goals.

Hanoi joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for Design in 2019. Since then, it has focused on developing cultural industries, building a creative city, and fulfilling its commitments to UNESCO. This has been achieved through the various policies and numerous creative events that the city has put in place.

Hanoi's creative spaces, now numbering 124, operate in various fields such as design, music, publishing, and cinema, and are run by both public and private organizations. Creative spaces come in many different types, such as museums, libraries, art spaces, galleries, cultural centers, educational centers, coffee shops, and co-working spaces.

Phan Dang Son, Chairman of the Vietnam Association of Architects, has stated that despite the great potential of Hanoi's historical and cultural heritage, the extent to which this potential has been realized is still not commensurate.

A creative space development program, Son said, is essential to Hanoi's tourism industry and promises to enhance its appeal and glamour.

According to Phan Dang Son, it will also give the next generation a chance to showcase their ingenuity and blossom, playing a crucial role in boosting the perception of Vietnamese people and culture worldwide.

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