The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health will inaugurate a new dialysis facility in the outlying district of Can Gio in early next month, providing better access to dialysis for people who have kidney failure or end-stage renal disease.

The dialysis unit at the Can Gio Health Centre, the first of its kind in the district, will be equipped with five dialysis machines and essential devices for dialysis procedures, according to the city’s Department of Health.

Le Van Thinh Hospital will deploy doctors and nurses to Can Gio Health Centre to care for patients at the dialysis unit.

At least one doctor and two nurses will be responsible for medical care during dialysis treatments.

Forty-one people on dialysis in Can Gio district have to travel to city-level hospitals to undergo dialysis.

There are 39 dialysis units in the city to provide treatment for nearly 4,500 people on dialysis, according to the department.

A project on medical capacity improvement in Can Gio district will be submitted to the municipal People’s Committee soon. The project is aimed at improving medical services in the district and adopting more medical techniques to serve local residents.

Mobilizing social financial resources

Recently, at the conference summarizing the 2022-2023 school year and implementing tasks for the 2023-2024 school year, Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training Nguyen Van Hieu said that every year, Ho Chi Minh City sees an increase of 20,000-30,000 students. Over the years, to ensure enough study space for people, many schools have had to convert functional rooms, and labs into classrooms.

The head of the city's education sector admitted that this is only a temporary measure because if maintained long-term, it will affect the quality of education. In the 2022-2023 school year, many districts such as District 12, Go Vap, and Binh Tan will arrange for students from one school to temporarily study in empty rooms of another school or students of two classes will share the same room thanks to the flexible schedule between classes.

This solution, on the one hand, helps increase classroom space, but also creates many shortcomings such as elementary school students sharing desks and chairs with middle school students of inappropriate height. Teachers and students also have to learn on Saturdays to ensure enough number of periods a week. In the long term, district education authorities said there is a need for radical solutions to increase the number of classrooms for two shifts of teaching and learning in a day under the requirement of the 2018 General Education Program.

To achieve the goal of 300 classrooms per 10,000 people, Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Phan Van Mai said that the city will mobilize all financial resources to invest in building new schools. In particular, the plan to build field schools in densely populated areas without enough classrooms is under further consideration. These schools will be opened for 5-10 years to meet teaching and learning needs before new spacious schools are built.

In addition, according to a representative of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, along with increasing the size of the public school system, this department is advising the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee on many policies to support non-public schools such as tax and land incentives, administrative procedures to mobilize private sectors to invest in building schools in the form of public-private partnership. Instead of investing in building a new school, the city should take advantage of existing facilities of non-public schools.

Central Highlands taps tourism potential

Central Highlands localities have taken bold steps in turning tourism into an economic spearhead, making great contributions to their socio-economic development.

The region, which comprises five provinces of Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, and Lam Dong, boasts a majestic beauty with windy mountain passes, spectacular valleys, and a kaleidoscope of cultures of 49 out of Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups.

Some popular destinations include Tuyen Lam Lake in Lam Dong province, Ngoc Linh Mountain and Mang Den Ecotourism Site in Kon Tum province, Kon Chu Rang Nature Reserve in Gia Lai province, Draynur Waterfalls in Dak Lak province, and Yok Don National Park in Dak Nong province.

The region is also known for its gong culture which was recognised by UNESCO in 2005 as a Masterpiece of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

“Con duong xanh Tay Nguyen” (the Central Highlands green road), a tourism path linked to “Con duong di san mien Trung” (the Road of Heritage Sites in the Central Vietnam), is among major tours that help nudge the region’s majestic beauty closer to domestic and international visitors.  

Besides, “Mot ngay an com ba nuoc, ba quoc gia mot diem den” (Dining in three countries in one day, three countries – one destination) programme was developed to link regional attractions with those in Lao and Cambodia.

Over recent years, the Central Highlands localities have organised conferences to promote tourism linkages with major cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

However, experts have said that the region’s tourism development is lagging behind its potential, elaborating tourism linkage among localities are poor while new offerings should be created to lure more visitors.

Pham Hai Quynh, Director of the Asian Tourism Institute and Chairman of the Vietnam Community-based Tourism Chapter (VCTC), said that it is working to branch out tours in which local ethnics will tell stories about their cultures and histories.

In a bid to bolster the region’s sustainable tourism, it is necessary to study the ethnic groups’ standout cultural straits, excellent cuisines and traditional practices, he said, adding that the move also aims at protecting the ethnic heritage from falling into oblivion.

Wellness, waterway being HCM City’s key tourism offerings

Ho Chi Minh City is pinning high hope on healthcare and wellness, and waterway tourism offerings, which are seen as a cash cow for the southern hub.

A report by Grand View Research showed that the global wellness tourism market size is expected to top 1 trillion USD by 2030, and rise nearly 10% in the next eight years.

According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, the country has over the recent years welcomed an increasing number of foreigners who come to experience healthcare and wellness services.

Some 300,000 foreigners visit the nation annually, with 40% of them seeking treatment in HCM City.

Annual revenue from healthcare and wellness tourism was around 2 billion USD before 2019 – the year when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out.

Tourists’ intense interest in resort and healthcare services post-pandemic has created an excellent opportunity for the city to branch out this kind of offering.

The municipal Department of Tourism has worked with 50 entities, including hospitals, healthcare facilities, spa palors, travel companies, and lodging facilities to create 30 unique packages that combine health care with visits to renowned tourist destinations to meet the needs of travelers.

Le Kien, CEO of Panhou Retreat and Whale Island Resort, said that city dwellers are facing a great deal of health problems such as nervous tension and sleep orders due to noise, air and light pollution.

Can Gio, Hoc Mon, and Cu Chi districts are able to offer visitors a relaxing and natural excursion that is far from the city hustle and bustle, he said, adding the localities hold huge potential to develop resort and wellness products.

Besides, high-quality waterway services have emerged as a focus to provide new experiences to visitors.

The city plans to launch waterway tourism products in all inland waterways in the city, and inter-provincial routes connecting with the neighbouring provinces of Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Tien Giang, Long An, and Ben Tre.

By 2025, it aims to develop at least 10 waterway tours and programmes linking seaports and river routes.

The city is striving to welcome about 500,000 visitors a year to the waterway tourism programmes in the 2023-2024 period. This number is expected to increase by 10% in the following years.

It will work to improve voice-over translation systems to provide tourists with information about waterway tourism routes, and identify the historical and cultural values of rivers and canals across the city.

The municipal administration has urged relevant units to use the geographic information system (GIS) technology for building detailed maps of waterway tourism routes and destinations on the routes.

Additionally, it will build more wharves to boost cruise tourism, and develop tourism and entertainment services along the river banks and on river cruise ships.

Vietnam developing community-based tourism associated with local culture

Developing community-based tourism in association with indigenous culture has received due attention from various localities across Vietnam, as it has proved effective in attracting both domestic and foreign tourists.

The northern midland province of Phu Tho is one among the localities well exploiting community-based tourism.

Performances of Xoan singing – UNESCO-recognised Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding, in Hung Lo ancient communal house have become a unique cultural tourism product.

Le Thi Xuan Huong, deputy director of the Phu Tho tourism promotion information centre, said that since Hung Lo ancient village was recognised as one out of Phu Tho’s two community-based tourist sites, it has seen surges in the number of domestic and foreign visitors. On average, each month, the village welcomes three delegations of European visitors.

Home to 54 ethnic groups, Vietnam holds huge potential in developing this type of tourism, associated with preserving and promoting the value of native culture.

This type of tourism has contributed to improving the life of local people. To achieve sustainable livelihoods, Pham Hai Quynh, director of the Asian Tourism Development Institute and chairman of the Vietnam Community-based Tourism Chapter (VCTC), stressed the need for locals to get ready to develop tourism, and for authorities to support them in this work.

Each locality needs to select products as orientations to develop community-based tourism, step up promotion activities, and intensify international cooperation to attract investment in this field, he added.

Indian media calls Hoi An a perfect place for culturally inclined travelers

Times Of India recently published an article titled “Hoi An: Time stood still in this pretty Vietnamese town”, highlighting the picturesque and ancient town as a perfect destination for those who are into culture.      

According to the article, the historical town’s well-preserved architectural heritage reflects the rich past of a bygone era when the place was once a thriving trading port. From the old narrow streets to the busy night markets, Hoi An is a beautiful mix of history, culture, and natural beauty.

Author Precious Rongmei also offered several suggestions on discovering the beautiful Vietnamese destination.

Hoi An Ancient Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is arguably the most significant attraction locally. The site boasts well-preserved architecture and narrow streets which almost seem like a dreamy movie set.

Elsewhere, the Japanese covered bridge which was first built by the Japanese community in the 1590s is another suggestion.

The Indian media outlet also recommended a trip to other famous tourist destinations, including assembly halls served as community centres as well as places of worship; Tan Ky Old House, the oldest family home in the town; and Hoi An Night Market, which offers an experience of both the local culture and cuisine.

Hoi An Silk Village is located just a short distance away from the city’s centre. If travelers are interested in traditional Vietnamese silk production, then a visit to the silk village is a must, the author shared.

The My Son Sanctuary is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located about 40 km from the town and offers guests a chance to discover an ancient Hindu temple complex.

If tourists want to find fresh produce, seafood, spices, and a variety of local products, Hoi An Central Market is a good suggestion. This bustling market offers a glimpse into daily life in the town and is a great place to try authentic Vietnamese street food as well.

Moreover, Times Of India introduced readers to several beautiful beaches, including An Bang Beach and Cua Dai Beach, where travelers can relax, swim, or enjoy water sports.

Exploring the beautiful countryside and nearby islands of Hoi An by taking cycling tours or boat trips along the Thu Bon River is a wonderful experience. These tours create a chance to see the rural life of the region.

Weightlifters in final touches for Asian Games' medal target

Vietnamese weightlifters are hoping for medal glory at the September Asian Games (ASIAD) in China with the country's best athletes selected for the Hangzhou event.

A six-strong team of three men and three women will head to the 19th edition of the tournament where they also seek for points for a place at the Paris Olympics in 2024.

At ASIAD, there are 14 weight categories. Seven events for men are from 61kg to over-109kg while women will compete in seven classes ranging from 49kg to over-87kg.

Vietnamese athletes Trịnh Văn Vinh and Nguyễn Trần Anh Tuấn will take part in the men's 61kg; Trần Minh Trí in the men's 67kg; Phạm Đình Thi in the women's 49kg and Quàng Thị Tâm and Hoàng Thị Duyên in the women's 59kg.

All of them have made remarkable results for Việt Nam in international competitions but Vinh, Duyên and Tâm are expected to be among the medals.

Vinh won a gold in the snatch event in the 2017 championship before he was banned because of doping affair. In his comeback early this month, he placed fifth in the men's 61kg class.

Although not being in top three, Vinh's performance was highly praised by coaches.

Duyên is the national most successful female lifters of Việt Nam as she has been in top three of the world championship, World Cup and Asian championship along with a collection of title at the SEA Games. She was Việt Nam's representative at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. She just returned home from an intensive training in the US in preparation for the Games.

Tâm is a national rising star. The 20-year-old won a gold, a silver and a bronze from the Asian championship last year.

"Due to different reasons, not all the athletes were sent to train abroad. The rest are training at the National Sport Centre No 1 in Hà Nội. The coaching board builds training plans for each of them so that they could bring into play their best and achieve their goals," said Nguyễn Huy Hùng, Weightlifting Department official of the Sports Authority of Việt Nam, expecting his athletes could enter top three of their classes.

"Athletes, especially Duyên, are in their final preparations for the Asian Games. We hope that she will deliver her peak performance in China."

Việt Nam have not topped the podium in weightlifting in the ASIAD in the past. The highest result was two silvers by Thạch Kim Tuấn in the men's 56kg and Vinh in the men's 62kg classes in the 18th Games in 2018 in Indonesia.

The Việt Nam's send-off ceremony for the ASIAD will be held on September 16 in Hà Nội. The weightlifters will leave for Hangzhou on September 24. Their competitions are held from September 27-October 7.

Healthcare professionals gain new knowledge about pneumococcal disease prevention

Through a recent series of scientific symposia, more than 1,800 health care professionals nationwide both online and on site have had a chance to learn the latest scientific advances in the management and prevention of pneumococcal diseases to have more comprehensive insights and give patients the most up-to-date and accurate medical advice.

The events, entitled “Pneumococcal Disease Prevention: Understanding the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines – Recommendations to Protect Children”, were co-organised by Pfizer Vietnam Limited Company and the Centre for Health Professionals Training of the HCM City University of Medicine and Pharmacy, aiming to share new knowledge to healthcare professionals in Việt Nam.

It consisted of five symposia held in Hà Nội and HCM City from August 25 to 29, with the attendance of health care professionals and leading international experts in pediatrics and prevention of infectious diseases nationwide and around the world.

The symposia aimed to update and discuss the burden of pneumococcal disease in children and adults; and share experiences from local and international experts on the role of PCV vaccines in the prevention of pneumococcal disease.

It also gave updates with real world data about serotype changes after PCV vaccination and shared experiences in deploying PCV vaccination in other countries around the world.

The highlight was presentations of the developing trends of polyvalent vaccines that highlighted the value of pneumococcal vaccines to patients and society at large.

Speaking at the the event, Asso. Prof. Cao Hữu Nghĩa, head of the Biomedical Science Department, Pasteur Institute in HCM City, said: “Vaccination is one of the safest and most effective ways to prevent infectious diseases, not only for children but also for adults.”

The global COVID-19 pandemic was an alarm bell about the danger of diseases, be they emerging diseases, seasonal epidemics, or dangerous infections.

In addition to other preventive measures, the role of vaccines is extremely important to limit the spread, and reduce morbidity and mortality rates.

Pneumococcus is one of the most dangerous pathogens in both children and adults that can be actively prevented with vaccines.

Ron Dagan, a distinguished professor of Pediatrics and Infectious Diseases, said, “pneumococcus is a dangerous agent and fortunately there has been a vaccine to prevent it since 2000."

In addition to preventing dangerous diseases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae such as pneumonia, meningitis, sepsis or otitis media, PCV had a significant impact in preventing otitis media caused by nontypeable haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) of unspecified type, according to many studies around the world.

Doctor of Philosophy Mark Peter Gerard van der Linden, a researcher at the Reference Laboratory for Streptococci at the University Hospital RWTH in Aachen, Germany, said real life data have shown that cross-protection of serotypes in PCVs is rarely functional, with only reasonable levels of protection observed within serogroup 6.

However, direct protection is still prioritised over the potential for cross-protection.

“Therefore, the development trend of conjugate vaccines is increasingly consisting of more serotypes,” he said.

Darrell Oh, general director of Pfizer Vietnam, said the company has made great efforts to help Việt Nam solve the challenges of disease prevention and treatment for years.

Fostering collaboration across public and private stakeholders will help accelerate the ability of the health care system to respond to current healthcare challenges like Pneumococcal disease, he said.

This series of pneumococcal scientific symposia is a clear commitment of the company’s efforts in the mission of accompanying, supporting, and providing up-to-date scientific knowledge and medical advancements to Vietnamese health care professionals.

School students enjoy new playgrounds in new school-year

More than 1,100 students from primary schools in Hoà Hiệp Nam ward of Đông Hoà town of the coastal central province will be playing on four newly-built green playgrounds in the new school year with funding from the Lotte Scholarship Foundation, Community Chest of Korea and the Korean-Vietnamese Peace Foundation.

Hyun Woo Kwon, a member of the Korean-Vietnamese Peace Foundation, said the four ‘green playgrounds’, under the V-project, was inaugurated last weekend, providing safe entertainment sites at two school-yards at Nguyễn Viết Xuân and Phạm Văn Đồng and Phú Lạc village.

The V-Project also donated computers and school facilities to the two schools on the opening ceremony of the four ‘green playgrounds.

Hyun Woo Kwon also said the two foundations -- Lotte Scholarship Foundation, Community Chest of Korea – have helped built 12 ‘green playgrounds’ at schools in villages in Quảng Nam, Bình Định and Phú Yên since 2020.

It’s one of a series of charity activities that the Korean-Vietnamese Peace Foundation and the foundations have been supporting for locals in central Việt Nam in healing the wounds of war.

Phú Yên was one of military operation sites in central Việt Nam by South Korean soldiers in 1966.

Many villagers in Thọ Lâm and Đa Ngư in the province were killed by South Korean soldiers during the American war in 1966, and a memorial stele was built at site in commemorating the dead people.

The province was inspired by Korean writer Park Young Han to begin a multi-volume novel: ‘Sông Ba ở nơi rất xa’ (Ba River in a faraway site) in context of the killings area.

The Korean-Vietnamese Peace Foundation, which was established in 1999, aimed to begin a ‘Sorry to Vietnamese people’ campaign among Koreans, and ask for an official apology.

Thousands of people were killed in a series of massacres by Korean soldiers during the war in central provinces of Việt Nam between 1966 and 1971.

The V-Project expects to build more ‘green’ playgrounds and supports for school students in Việt Nam. —

Vietnam named among under-the-radar countries which travelers should visit

Australian travel publication Traveller of The Sydney Morning Herald recently released its list of 19 under-the-radar countries travelers should visit, with Vietnam featured among the destinations.      

According to author Ben Groundwater, the nation has been a favourite destination among Australians for some time, with visitor numbers already returning to pre-pandemic levels.

Despite this growth there remains room for more given the recent dramatic increase in flight services, with budget carriers Vietjet and Bamboo Airways joining Vietnam Airlines and Jetstar in flying direct from Australian ports to Vietnam, the newspaper reported.

Australian travel publication also recommended that the country has also been investing heavily in tourism, with pushes to move visitors on from perennial favourites such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Ha Long Bay to beach destinations like Con Dao in the north and Phu Quoc in the south.

“Wherever you go, you know the food in Vietnam will be amazing, and the country will be very good value,” the foreign media outlet wrote.

The list shines a spotlight on 19 of the hottest holiday countries which ripe for a little adventure, including Malawi, Samoa, the Republic of Korea, Georgia, Albania, Peru, Chile, Mexico, Egypt, Portugal, Germany, China, Zimbabwe, Norway, India, Morocco, Australia, Colombia, and Vietnam.

Milestone in further promoting Vietnam-France relations over five decades

Five decades of diplomatic relations and 10 years of a strategic partnership between the nation and France can be viewed as important milestones in the process of propelling bilateral ties, according to French Ambassador to Vietnam Nicolas Wanery.

This year marks a special landmark when Vietnam celebrates the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations with many countries around the world.

This will also be an important milestone for the nation and its friends and partners to develop a new co-operation framework towards achieving a prosperous future.

Following the establishment of diplomatic ties with 193 countries and the establishment of a stable, long-term relationship framework with 30 strategic and comprehensive partners around the world, the nation’s prestige and position are increasingly appreciated, welcomed, and supported by international friends.

Looking back at the past five decades of co-operation with the country, French Ambassador to Vietnam Nicolas Wanery said that France is one of the first Western countries to support Vietnamese reforms and open-door processes. Indeed, the Central European nation is happy to be Vietnam’s partner, particularly as the country notched up many successes on the Doi Moi (Renewal) process.

The two sides have therefore bolstered co-operation across multiple fields, including economics, sustainable development, the environment, higher education, research, health care, governance, and administration.

The two sides still boast great ambitions in co-operation against climate change, security, and defence.

Referring to French support for Vietnam in the field of digital transformation, the French diplomat outlined that his nation is in the process of carrying out its first project with the Government Office and Vietnamese localities.

That is being done in support of Vietnam in building an electronic information portal, simplifying administrative procedures, and operating administrative services smoothly through digital tools. Both nations are currently at the beginning of a very long road of collaboration ahead.

With regard to how the joint relationship will be promoted moving forward following last year France announcing a new Indo-Pacific Strategy on the basis of France's new vision for this region, the Ambassador stated that France has announced the Pacific-Indian Ocean Strategy which features four pillars. These include security - defence; economy - connection - research and Innovation; multilateral co-operation – respect for the law; and combating climate change – biodiversity – sustainable management of seas and oceans.

France has been discussing with partners in the EU on these topics. Indeed, Germany and the EU then also announced their own Indo-Pacific Strategy, with the French Government's interest in this area also increasing, he said.

Vietnam is located in the centre of ASEAN, with the bloc at the centre of the Indo-Pacific Ocean. Therefore the nation plays an extremely important geopolitical role in the region.

France also plays an important role in this region as the country has seven territories located in the Pacific and Indian Oceans with 1.7 million inhabitants.

“We also have 7,000 soldiers stationed in the region. That is also the reason why our navy ships often travel back and forth in the area. The two countries have faced plenty of common challenges, which are multilateral relations, making all coastal countries respect international law, especially the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” the French diplomat said.

In addition, France is ready to help the country to participate in the UN or EU peacekeeping missions in many other regions globally.

 “We have helped the Vietnamese military train on the rules for sending soldiers and officers to participate in peacekeeping missions. We are very excited about the prospect of being able to cooperate with Vietnam in peace protection efforts in this region,” he added.

Waste segregation, recycling model developed in Hue city

The Ham Long Research and Support Centre for Social Work (HLC) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on September 13 organised a workshop to kick off a project to develop and pilot a model on classifying and recycling wastes in the central city of Hue.

Under the 18-month project, the HLC will instruct families in two wards of Huong Long and Thuy Bieu in the city to properly classify waste and use organic waste to make microbial fertiliser while plastic products and waste paper will be used to make products. The model aims to increase recycling rates, reduce the amount of waste, and improve the livelihoods of waste collectors and recyclers.

USAID's Mission Director for Vietnam Aler Grubbs said that in 2022, the US Government launched the Ocean Protection project - a key project to fight ocean plastic waste at the global level. It is implemented through 14 programmes at national and regional levels around the world. Within the framework of the project, the agency cooperates with the HLC to implement a programme “Green City - Blue Ocean” which aims to solve plastic waste pollution.

According to the Centre for Research and Environmental Technology Transfer in the central region, in 2021, Hue city generated about 407 tonnes of urban solid waste every day. Thuy Phuong landfill - the only in the city, is currently overloaded and causes serious environmental pollution in the surrounding area.

HCM City seeks cooperation with RoK in environmental issues

Ho Chi Minh City welcomes the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s businesses and investors to learn about, cooperate with and invest in the city in the fields of green economy, and wastewater and waste treatment, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Bui Xuan Cuong said on September 14.

Hosting RoK Vice Minister of Environment Lim Sangjun who is on a working visit to Vietnam to attend the HCM City Economic Forum 2023, Cuong expressed his hope that the RoK, with its experiences, will assist the city in transferring technology, training human resources, and encouraging Korean firms to invest in this field.

Lim said that the issue of green growth and sustainable development has received attention of all countries around the world.

The RoK has experiences in this field and is willing to share them and relevant policies with the city, he stressed, adding that many Korean businesses are showing interests in projects related to wastewater treatment in the city, especially those in the form of public-private partnership (PPP).

The same day, Cuong had a working session with a leader from the RoK’s Samsung Engineering Co., Ltd. that also wants to cooperate with the city in wastewater treatment projects.

Danang pharmacies run out of pink eye treatments

Many pharmacies in the central city of Danang have run out of pink eye medicines after a widespread outbreak.

Pink eye cases have sharply risen in Danang and it is hard to find treatments in the city.

Nguyen Huy from Thanh Khe District said that he visited three pharmacies on Tran Cao Van Street but failed to find treatments and had to go to another district.

A staff member from a large pharmacy chain in Danang said they had sold out of conjunctivitis medicines over the past week due to a surge in demand.

The same situation has also been reported in Son Tra and Hai Chau districts.

The Long Chau pharmacy chain in Danang has run out of Tobradex and Tobrex treatments.

Meanwhile, only low stocks of Tobradex could be found at Pharmcity, while Cravit 0.5% and Oflovid have sold out.

The Danang Centre for Disease Control (CDC) said that pink eye disease is mainly caused by viruses, making it highly contagious, especially in densely populated areas. It is often transmitted through secretions and tends to spread rapidly among preschool and elementary school children.

The main preventive measures for red eye disease are general personal hygiene and hand hygiene, along with disinfection.

People with pink eye disease are advised not to socialise and get medical examinations, instead of buying medicines for self-treatment.

Northern mountainous, midland regions brace for floods

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh yesterday sent a dispatch on mobilizing all resources to overcome the consequences of flash floods in Lao Cai Province and proactively deal with the potential of floods in the Northern mountainous and midland regions.

In the afternoon of the same day, the Standing Office of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control said that a spell of heavy rain slammed Sa Pa town, Lao Cai Province, bringing a devastating surge of floodwaters across the villages of Nam Than and Nam Cang in Lien Minh Commune, Sa Pa Town.

As of yesterday afternoon, the flash flood left at least nine dead and missing.

Notably, floodwaters swallowed around 600 fish tanks in Lien Minh Commune, Sa Pa Town, causing more than VND250 billion (US$10.3 million) in damage.

On the same day, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha and Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Hoang Hiep arrived at the scene of flood-hit areas at Nam Cang Village, Lien Minh Commune to direct work on rescuing and overcoming the consequences of the natural disasters.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha requested Lao Cai Province to urgently review rivers, streams and places with a high risk of floods, flash floods and landslides; make a plan to evacuate people to safe places, regularly issue warnings of natural disaster risks.

22 people accused of causing serious damages to Da Nang – Quang Ngai Expressway

The Supreme People's Procuracy of Vietnam accused 22 people of causing serious damages to the Da Nang – Quang Ngai Expressway Construction Project in the second phase.

The accused were prosecuted for the crimes of “violating regulations on construction investment causing serious consequences” and “lack of responsibility, causing serious consequences”.

According to the indictment, the Da Nang – Quang Ngai Expressway Project is a key national transport project with a total investment of VND34,516 billion (US$1.4 billion) approved by the Prime Minister. Vietnam Expressway Corporation (VEC) is the project’s main investor.

The nearly 140-kilometer-long project was divided into two phases. The Da Nang – Quang Ngai Expressway was a class-A expressway with a maximum speed of 120 kilometers per hour.

However, when the project was put into exploitation, the asphalt concrete road surface at many sections of the expressway was cracked, seriously affecting the operations and causing unsafety for vehicles as well as causing frustration in public opinion.

By investigating the route under the first phase of the project, the functional forces identified that the contractor, consulting and monitoring units had the acts of violating construction and investment regulations, triggering unsecured quality for the project and causing damages to the State with an amount of VND811 billion (US$34 million).

Besides, the investigation results on the 74-kilometer-long route under the project's second phase comprising five bidding packages identified that leaders of the project investor, management board and contractor together with consulting and monitoring units failed to comply with the regulations on selecting construction materials, concrete mix design, trial construction, mass construction of layers of materials and acceptance of the project, resulting in a total loss of more than VND460 billion (US$20 million) to the State.

Among the accused persons, former General Director of VEC and Chairman of the Acceptance Council Tran Van Tam was accused of causing VND45 billion (US$1.9 million) in damage as he had signed an official acceptance of the project, project items to put it into exploitation and had concluded that the project met the design and technique requirements.

Besides, the indictment also accused him of slackening management, failing to ensure project quality causing serious damages to the State assets.

Citizens warned of strangers volunteering to help activate level-2 e-ID

The police of all districts and Thu Duc City yesterday sent a warning to the public about certain strangers impersonating local police officers to trick and steal personal information of victims.

Recently, the police force in all wards and communes of HCMC and other provinces are encouraging citizens to complete level 2 of their electronic identification on the official app VneID.

Taking advantage of this, ill-intention people impersonate a local police officer to contact victims via phone calls and request the installation of a strange application different from VneID or even sensitive information provision so that those criminals can help activate the e-ID at level 2. When following such instructions, victims have their personal data stolen.

Therefore, the police warn that they only encourage citizens to visit the nearest police station for this level-2 activation process. Also, there is only one app, named VneID, to serve this function. This activation cannot be carried out indirectly by other people because the related person must have their photo captured and their fingerprints scanned.

Anyone calling and saying that they are a local police officer to ask the public to provide personal information or install another app for this activation purpose is scammers. Their instructions must not be followed.

Meanwhile, the police are encouraging those who have not activated level 2 of their e-ID to visit the nearest police station to complete this process.

Exhibition of books on President Ho Chi Minh, Party and State leaders underway in HCM City

An exhibition of books on President Ho Chi Minh and leaders of the Party and State opened on Ho Chi Minh City's book street on September 15 in the framework of the annual meeting of the ASEAN Book Publishers’ Association Executive Committee.

Addressing the opening, Pham Minh Tuan, Chairman of the Vietnam Publishers’ Association, said that President Ho Chi Minh was a talented leader of the Vietnamese revolution and an excellent soldier of the communist and workers’ movement. His thought on international solidarity is the major theory foundation for the Party and State to define the country’s external policy and international relations, he said.

Tuan said that the exhibition’s topic aimed to demonstrate the development of international friendship and solidarity of Vietnam in the region and the world.

The exhibition, which will run until September 16, introduces more than 100 book titles in three groups – books about President Ho Chi Minh, publications by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, and books on leaders of the Party and the Vietnamese revolution through periods.

Alongside, the event also displays many publications on the life, career and the morality, thought and lifestyle of President Ho Chi Minh.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s book entitled “Some theoretical and practical issues on socialism and the path to socialism in Vietnam,” which is published in seven languages, is also on display at the event.

HCM City looks to boost partnership with World Economic Forum

Ho Chi Minh City desires to partner with the World Economic Forum (WEF) to leverage the outcomes of the HCM City Economic Forum for the development of the southern largest economic hub and Vietnam in general, Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Phan Van Mai told WEF Managing Director Jeremy Jurgens.

At a meeting on September 15 with Jurgens, who is on a working trip to attend the HCM City Economic Forum 2023 (HEF 2023), Mai highly appreciated the WEF for signing a joint statement on cooperation with the municipal People's Committee, creating opportunities for HEF to become part of the WEF’s ecosystem.

He expressed his hope that the WEF will offer a chance for HCM City to demonstrate its friendliness and capability when hosting events of the WEF.

Mai briefed the guest on climate change-related challenges facing HCM City, saying that the city wants to collaborate with the WEF to gain deeper insights and assessments regarding climate change, which can then be used to review and adjust the city's development strategy.

The official thanked Jurgens for his suggestion regarding the establishment of a fourth industrial revolution centre in HCM City, affirming that it possesses favourable conditions in terms of legal framework, high-quality human resources, and strong connection and interaction with the private business community of the city and the region, to make this initiative a success.

HCM City is committed to responsibly participating in the centre’s development and operations, Mai affirmed.

For his part, Jurgens spoke highly of the theme “Green growth - the journey to zero emissions” of HEF 2023, noting that this is an important issue that has garnered attention from countries.

The WEF was impressed with HEF 2023’s format and scale, and is ready to work with HCM City to jointly organise the WEF’s future events, he said.

Jurgens stressed that the formation of the fourth industrial revolution centre in HCM City depends on three crucial factors that the municipal authorities need to pay attention to, including the alignment of policies between central and local authorities regarding development directions, the quality of the entity responsible for managing the centre and the human resources for absorbing knowledge and technology; and the support and collaboration of the private sector.

The WEF is willing to partner with HCM City in looking for and selecting personnel for the centre, especially those with proficiency in the Vietnamese language, he added.

For the southern hub’s green economic and sustainable development-oriented development strategy, the Managing Director said HCM City needs to assess its entire energy ecosystem, including the use of smart public transport and the transformation of urban electricity transmission system.

Meeting seeks to enhance foreign NGO-Vietnamese partner connections

More than 280 delegates attended a meeting to share information with foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs) held in a hybrid format by the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) on September 15.

In his opening remarks, VUFO President Phan Anh Son said that the organisation of the meeting is an annual and practical activity to enhance connection and information sharing as well as set orientation for the work of foreign NGOs legally operating in Vietnam.

It is intended for the working committee on foreign NGOs to listen to opinions and promptly settle problems for the NGOs, thus improving the effectiveness of foreign non-governmental aid, he said.

Delegates at the event discussed obstacles in applying regulations related to the implementation of NGO activities as well as the orientation of cooperation with foreign NGOs.

According to the People’s Aid Coordinating Committee (PACCOM) under VUFO, 396 foreign NGOs registered to operate and carried out frequent activities in Vietnam in the first eight months of this year. The three areas of aid with the greatest value are social affairs, socioeconomic development, and health.

Relations of foreign NGOs with Vietnamese agencies and partners continued to be enhanced while the effectiveness of their programmes and projects improved, the committee said, adding that their activities have contributed to supporting socioeconomic development and improving people’s lives.

ASEAN Book Publishers Association's members boost cooperation

The annual meeting of the Executive Committee of the ASEAN Book Publishers Association (ABPA) kicked off in Ho Chi Minh City on September 15.

The event was a forum for ABPA members to exchange experiences and propose solutions to strengthen cooperation in the publishing industry in the region, especially in the context that digital transformation and international integration are becoming more extensive.

President of the Vietnam Publishers Association (VPA) Pham Minh Tuan, who is holding the rotating presidency of the ABPA for the 2022-2023 term, said that the VPA has met the needs of exchange and cooperation among member countries, becoming a channel for exchanging information, sharing new policies of each country's publishing industry as well as sharing experiences and ways to promote the development of reading culture.

He went on to say that ABPA members have the opportunity to learn from each other. During its presidency, the VPA organised many activities, aiming at common goals, especially the goal of maintaining and pushing up peace and security as well as enhancing regional resilience by promoting political, security, economic and socio-cultural cooperation.

Participants at the meeting held that given the current context, the publishing industry faces many difficulties due to the competition between books and reading culture with other audio-visual forms and social networks, and copyright infringement. Along with solutions to promote reading culture, member countries are taking drastic measures to prevent book copyright violations.

At the event, ABPA members agreed with proposals put forth by the VPA, notably the “One ASEAN” initiative which promotes exchanges between publishing units of the member countries, thereby fostering experience sharing and copyright exchange in the region and realising the goal of diversifying ASEAN unity.

They consented that the Malaysian Publishing Association will take on the role of ABPA's rotating presidency for the 2024 - 2025 term.

Some activities are organised within the framework of the event, including an international book fair on HCM City's Book Street which features about 100 book titles about President Ho Chi Minh and other Party and State leaders.

ABPA delegates also participate in sideline activities to better understand Vietnamese culture and publishing, such as visiting relics, bookstores and HCM’s Book Street.

Founded in 2005, the ABPA aims to provide a friendly community where ASEAN-based publishers and industry partners can share knowledge and experience.

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