Social News Headlines 24/3 Hailstorm dumps ice on Dien Bien   A hailstorm hit Tua Chua township of the northern mountain province of Dien Bien, on March 21, causing damages to agricultural production. The storm lasted just 15 minutes, and its lemon-size hailstones destroyed fruit bearing trees and subsidiary crops. There was no report on casualties. The hailstones could be seen on provincial roads and house roofs though the downpour let up for an hour. Local people said the hailstorm was caused by a strong cold spell that was moving fast towards the northern region on March 21. Hailstorm is rarely seen in Tua Chua. St Paul hospital carries out 2nd kidney transplant The Saint Paul Hospital in Hanoi has successfully performed its second kidney transplant, where the patient and donor were siblings. The patient, a 32-year-old from Hanoi's Chuong My district, received a kidney from his 29-year-old brother. According to the hospital's doctors, the transplant on March 20 was difficult as the patient had been suffering from renal failure for a long time apart from heart failure and high blood pressure. He was reported to be stable after the transplant. Four months ago, Saint Paul Hospital became the first hospital in Hanoi – the 13th in the whole country — to perform a kidney transplant on a patient, a 29-year-old woman who received the organ from her 49-year-old mother. The two have since recovered from the surgery. Like the first transplant, the second, which typically costs VND300 million (US$14,200), was provided free of charge. The hospital said the next three kidney transplants will also be free if the patients have a health insurance card. If not, they will have to pay half the cost of the surgery. Depending on the success of the second transplant, the hospital expects to perform one surgery per month. Patients with relatives able to donate kidneys will be operated on first, and at a later stage, organs will be taken from brain-dead donors. Saigon Zoo tiger gives birth to five cubs Five tiger cubs were born to a 10-year-old Indochinese tigress at the Saigon Zoo in District 1 last month after a 104 day pregnancy. This is a rare case because a tigress normally gives birth to 2 to three or four cubs, said Phan Viet Lam, director of the zoo. Zookeepers separated two weakest cubs from their mother to save them, as the mother only retains the strongest ones.    All the cubs are in good health condition, according to the director. Another Indochinese tigress raised at the Saigon Zoo is pregnant and expected to go into labour in a couple of weeks. The Indochinese tiger is a tiger subspecies living in Southeast Asia. This species is categorised as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Ministry releases labour market bulletin The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) on March 21 publicised its first quarterly bulletin on Vietnam’s labour market with the support of the General Statistics Office (GSO) and the International Labour Organisation. Addressing the opening ceremony, MoLISA Deputy Minister Doan Mau Diep described employment terms and salaries as the top concerns of policymakers, labourers and businesses. The bulletin aims to give an insight into the labour market through an in-depth analysis of numbers, structure and quality. The publication is especially targeted towards the National Assembly’s committees, the government’s policy-making agencies, international organisations, training centres and the media, the official noted. The GSO has conducted monthly surveys on the labour market since 2011, Diep said, while conceding that they are failed to meet requirements in the implementation and adjustment of relevant policies. According to the bulletin, Vietnam will have 54.87 million labourers in 2014 with the number of trained employees to increase and the proportion of those working in agriculture likely to shrink. Due to adjustments in the Employment Law, the number of people registering unemployment insurance is expected to rise rapidly, the report noted. Youth Union’s founding anniversary marked The 83rd founding anniversary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (March 26) was celebrated in Moscow on March 23. In his speech, Vietnamese ambassador Pham Xuan Son commended the achievements by the Union’s members in Russia in their learning and research pursuits and social activities. Apart from actively engaging in “Studying and Following President Ho Chi Minh’s moral example” campaign, they have also increasingly become involved in cultural and sports exchanges and charitable activities. On this occasion, outstanding collectives and individuals were honoured for their excellent academic performance and their great efforts to fulfill the youth union’s tasks. There are now 2,400 youth union members in Russia. President awards prestigious honour to Nghe An school President Truong Tan Sang on March 23 presented the Labour Hero title to the Phan Boi Chau High School for Gifted Students in the central province of Nghe An, on the occasion of its 40th founding anniversary. Over the past years, the school has constantly been in the top 100 best-performing high schools, with students gaining particularly high marks in university entrance examinations. Many of its students have also attained remarkable achievements in national and international contests. At the ceremony, President Sang praised efforts and accomplishments by teachers and students from the school. He voiced his hope that they will uphold their dedication to promoting comprehensive education, thus helping create a high-quality workforce aiding the country’s development and sustainability The Labour Hero title is awarded to organisations and individuals who have performed exceptionally in their work to the benefit of the nation. HCM City youth support urban development Over 1,000 young people gathered at a ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City on March 23 to open the Vietnamese Youth Festival 2014, with a focus on building urban civilisation. On this occasion, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union’s chapter in the city introduced three groups of young volunteers. One of the groups will engage in activities contributing to inner city development. A second group specialising in building new-style rural areas will visit suburban districts to offer advice and teach advanced agricultural techniques to local farmers. Meanwhile, the third collection of volunteers will run social welfare activities, such as helping disadvantaged families repair power lines, offering fire prevention guidance and providing free medical check-ups. Following the festival opening ceremony, a forum was opened for young people to discuss the ways of building a clean and civilised city. Youth exchange promotes Vietnam-Laos ties A friendship exchange between Vietnamese and Lao youths was held in the central province of Quang Ngai on March 23 to strengthen mutual understanding between the two countries. This is one of the activities marking the 2014 Volunteer Youth Year and follows the signing of a friendship agreement between the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Unions of Quang Ngai province chapter and the Lao People’s Revolutionary Youth Union’s Champasak province At the event, participants promised to continue their frontline role in maintaining, consolidating and nurturing the traditional relations between the two countries. Two days earlier, the Quang Ngai chapter organised a meeting to celebrate the 83rd founding anniversary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union. On the occasion, the Vietnam Commerce Joint Stock Bank (Vietcombank) branch in Quang Ngai and the Hung Vietnam Real Estate Co., Ltd donated VND772 million (US$36,284) and VND200 million (US$9,400) respectively to the provincial Youth Union chapter to maintain its “for the poor” social activities. UK helps Vietnam improve vocational training skills The UK-based Westminster Kingsway College will implement a British Council-sponsored project at Vietnam’s Kien Giang Vocational College to improve students’ vocational skills. This is the result of a fact-finding tour of the UK by a Kien Giang College delegation led by rector Nhan Thanh Liem. The UK school has pledged to support its Vietnamese counterpart in improving its staff’s capacity and qualifications, and promoting students’ job skills. They will also introduce opportunities for Vietnamese colleges to work with international partners to develop curriculum, so as to promote mutual understanding and forge links between the UK and Vietnam. Seungeun Chang, who is in charge of the Westminster Kingsway College International Partnerships, affirmed that the UK college wants to develop partnerships with Vietnamese schools and is willing to share its experience with recruiters in meeting real market demands. Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Vu Quang Minh spoke highly of the project  and affirmed that it will assist Vietnam's vocational schools to implement training programmes which meet the recruiters’ demand and help Vietnamese graduates find employment. The Ambassador expressed his hope that the British Council will continue to support Vietnam through other cultural and educational projects. This is Westminster Kingsway College’s second project in Vietnam after the successful model with Vinh College of Industry in Nghe An province. Singapore education centre inaugurated in Vietnam Singapore-based Adam Khoo Learning Technologies Group (AKLTG - Singapore) opened its headquarters in Ho Chi Minh City on March 23. Established in Singapore in 2002, AKLTG is currently Asia’s leading training organisation in the field of individual and enterprise development. The group introduces the latest educational and training technologies to Vietnam, including individual development, learning motivation development through English and mathematics training programmes, enterprises development, and presentation and sales skills. Marking its opening in Vietnam, Adam Khoo gave two talks themed "Profits in the crisis period" for entrepreneurs on March 22, and “Parenting Strategy in the 21st Century" for parents on March 23, attracting more than 6,000 participants. Japan pledges JPY100 million for Vietnam vocational school The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) announced on March 22 it will grant JPY100 million (nearly US$980,000) in official development assistance (ODA) to a vocational school in Vietnam, operated by a Japanese enterprise. Established in 2012 by Tokyo-based Mukai Construction Group, the school aims to train Vietnamese workers with the skills required to work at Japan’s construction sites. Currently, the Japanese government is considering hiring more foreigners for construction projects in the northeastern region affected by earthquakes, and in preparation for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. The vocational school enrolls 240 workers annually with 80 people each registering a 4-month training course. In addition to building skills, students will be taught how to read and write Japanese language to communicate at the construction sites. At present, each student is allowed to work a maximum of 3 years at the construction sites of Mukai and its partners in Japan. Vietnam warned against high bird flu risk Although Vietnam has not yet reported any cases of A/H7N9 avian influenza, it is facing a substantial risk of contracting the two deadly bird flu strains A/H9N9 and A/H5N1. Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long released the warning at a meeting in the northern border province of Lang Son on March 21 to launch a communications campaign against bird flu. According to a World Health Organization (WTO) report, the H7N9 avian influenza has broken out in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Malaysia. To date, there have been 395 reported avian flu cases resulting in 121 deaths. The number of the Chinese infections in the first three months of this year increased 1.6 fold compared to the whole of last year. The deadly strain is likely to spread into Vietnam, a close neighbour of China. Among border provinces, Lang Son currently faces the highest risk of an epidemic being declared. Meanwhile, A/H5N1 flu outbreaks are hitting more than 10 Vietnamese provinces and cities. Deputy Minister Long has asked all localities to strengthen preventative measures to stave off the entry of A/H7N9 and A/H5N1 viruses and prevent their spread to humans. He also called on them to closely cooperate with other sectors to prohibit the transportation and trading of all poultry and related products illegally brought into Vietnam across the border. Local authorities need to initiate measures to raise the public’s awareness on the importance of improving food safety and hygiene standards, and ensure they fully understand the health risks that contraband poultry pose. They need to especially communicate to people that poultry products of unknown or suspicious origin should be avoided, he concluded. A series of activities in response to the campaign including washing hands with soap and water, motorcycles and cars parade with banners and slogans along the route across the city are also planned. Young people talk their role in life Twenty exemplary young people shared their aspiration, passion, and will to overcome daily hardship and excel in their study and work at an exchange programme in Hanoi on March 21. They included Nguyen Duong Kim Hao, a pupil at Nguyen Gia Thieu Junior Secondary School in Tan Binh Ward, HCM City; Lai Van Hiep, Director of the fine art and handicraft product company for disabled people in Vu Ninh, Kien Xuong district, Thai Binh province; and captain Mai Hoang, Deputy Head of the Police Post in Van Ho district, Son La province. They all talked about their future dreams and clearly enunciated the ways they plan to make the dreams become a reality, bringing glory for themselves, their families and the nation. The extraordinary youth thanked the Party and State for paying attention to the young generation in study and research, as well as in promoting their talents. They promised to continuously learn, research and train to further contribute to the national construction and protection. The outstanding young people were presented with certificates of merit from the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCMCYU). The exchange is part of activities marking the Voluntary Youth Year 2014, and the 83rd anniversary of HCMCYU. Deputy PM: Medicine indispensable to TB treatment It is necessary to ensure a sufficiency of medicine for preventing and treating tuberculosis (TB) at any cost, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has said. The Deputy PM made the remark at a conference in Hanoi on March 21 to promote the implementation of the National Strategy for TB Prevention and Control by 2020 with a vision to 2030. Dam praised the efforts made by doctors, physicians and medical workers in fighting against the disease in recent times, and thanked international organisations for their support for Vietnam in the field. He stressed that the health sector should pay more attention to TB prevention in rural areas because more than 70% of sufferers are farmers. Approved by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on March 17, 2014, the strategy emphasises the core role of the health sector, as well as the involvement of the entire political system and private sectors in fighting the dangerous disease. It aims to reduce the number of TB suffers to under 131 people per 100,000 and the fatality rate to fewer than 10 people per 100,000. The number of people suffering multidrug-resistant TB is hoped to be kept at under 5% of newly diagnosed patients. To realise the targets, campaigns will be held to raise public awareness of the disease and introduce preventive measures so that sufferers will seek treatment without delay. Vietnam will also work closely with regional and international countries in order to swiftly detect and control the spread of tuberculosis across border areas. Every year, Vietnam diagnoses 130,000 new TB patients and 3,500 others suffering from multidrug-resistant TB. Some 18,000 people die of the disease in the country annually. UNDP hails HCM City’s poverty reduction achievements Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Helen Clark has hailed Ho Chi Minh City’s progress in poverty reduction. Meeting Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Hoang Quan on March 21, the visiting UNDP leader recognised the city’s effort to ensure immigrants’ access to healthcare and education services. The city is one of the leading localities in Vietnam in socio-economic development, with many achievements made in cutting the poverty rate and improving living conditions, said Clark. She praised the multidimensional poverty reduction model applied in the city, which includes measures to not only raise locals’ incomes but also to promote human rights. The UNDP also appreciates the city’s administrative reform efforts which have resulted in strong performance in different indexes, she said. Identifying challenges the city faces in its development progress, such as issues related to the environment, transport and climate change, Clark suggested that it should design more effective measures to settle problems at the local level. For his part, Quan thanked the support from the UNDP over past years, especially through its close coordination with the municipal authorities in the implementation of many effective programmes, including the administrative reform and multidimensional poverty reduction projects launched in the city in 2012. Ho Chi Minh City always considers poverty reduction and social welfare as important pillars of its process, ensuring balance, stable growth and international integration, he added. Quan noted that the city reached its target of reducing the number of poor households in 2013, two years ahead of schedule. It has decided to raise the poverty line to VND16 million (US$752) per household annually instead of VND12 million (US$564), he said, adding that the figure is much higher than the national average and is getting closer to the global average. IFRC’s humanitarian activities in Vietnam praised Since the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) opened its Vietnam-based office in 1991, the organization has positively contributed to humanitarian activities in Vietnam. Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRCS) President Nguyen Hai Duong made the statement at a March 21 working session with the IFRC delegation in Hanoi. Duong expressed his wish for stronger cooperation in humanitarian activities while asking the IFRC to continue providing technical and financial assistance for Vietnam in emergency aid, climate change adaptation and mitigation of natural disasters. IFRC Secretary General Bekele Geleta commended the coordination between the VRCS and his organization in carrying out humanitarian activities, noting that the VRCS’ operational models like the cow bank, lunar New Year Festival (Tet) programme for the poor and Agent Orange (AO)/Dioxin victims are a model for other red cross societies to follow. Bekele Geleta said he hopes the VRCS will spare no efforts to improve its operational efficiency across the board in all fields. The IFRC Secretary General was awarded with a “For Humanitarian Cause” insignia for his contributions to developing the VRCS into a stronger humanitarian organization. Over the past 24 years, the IFRC has expanded cooperation with non-governmental organizations, foreign embassies and partners operating in humanitarian activities in Vietnam. It has pledged up to US$100 million for Vietnam’s humanitarian projects and programmes. Source: VOV/VNA/SGT/SGGP