Social News Headlines 7/4 Vietnam to establish post offices on Truong Sa islands The Prime Minister has approved a Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC) proposal to open post offices on the Truong Sa archipelago. MIC Minister Nguyen Bac Son revealed the information at a recent meeting of the MIC in Hanoi. Tuoi Tre news wire reported Son assigned VietnamPost to work with the naval force to provide post services on a number of Truong Sa islands such as Nam Yet, Song Tu Tay, Sinh Ton, as well as Truong Sa island district. The Vietnam People’s Navy initially put forward an initiative to provide post services on the Truong Sa archipelago. These services will be managed by Truong Sa islanders. Charitable walk raises funds for the disabled  Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on April 6 joined thousands in a charitable walk in HCM City to support people with disabilities. The event aims to encourage people from all walks of life to recognize the need to care for and assist disabled people to better integrate into the community. PM Dung spoke highly of the Party committee and Fatherland Front’s support for the disabled at the grassroots levels, and suggested more should be accomplished to aid the disabled. In spite of significant progress, many families with disabled members are faced with numerous challenges, exacerbated by the inability to find satisfactory employment or obtain a good education, Dung said. Over the years, the Party and State has invested heavily and introduced many social policies to promote  the rights of people with disabilities and encourage them to become active and contributing members of society. The legal scheme for people with disabilities is gradually taking shape and localities are creating much improved conditions for the disabled and orphans to better and more fully live their lives. Social work for the disabled has made significant progress as well. The disabled are now provided with health insurance cards to secure decent health care, and many more are now being afforded competent legal assistance. They also now have more ready access to office buildings, retail establishments, public transportation and entertainment facilities for cultural, sporting and educational events thanks to programmes designed to remove barriers they once faced gaining access to public buildings and transport services. PM Dung urged relevant authorities to further complete the legal scheme for disabled people, especially in areas related to vocational training, employment, education, and health care. He asked ministries, departments, domestic and foreign organisations and individuals and international friends to pay more attention to the needs of the disabled and to heed particular attention to the needs of the truly disadvantaged disabled orphans. Vietnam has around 6.7 million disabled people, including 3.6 million women and 1.2 million children, 5 million of which live in rural areas. Hailstorms ravage northern provinces Hailstorms have hit a number of northern mountain provinces over the past few days, seriously damaging local people’s houses. A hailstorm struck Lao Cai province on the evening of April 5, causing a power outage in Lao Cai city and Sapa and Bat Xat districts over 30 minutes. Pea-size hailstones poured down and melted away together with heavy rains in just 10 minutes. More rains and thunderstorms are forecast to beat the province in a couple of days and local people are advised to stay indoors during the height of the storm to avoid injuries. One day earlier a hailstorm accompanied by strong winds hit Yen Minh district, Ha Giang province, peeling off the roofs of 105 houses and 16 schools. It damaged nearly 150ha of rice and subsidiary crops in the district. The same day, a hailstorm pounded Dien Bien province, affecting local people’s lives and agricultural production. Hailstones of more than 30mm in diameter brought down many trees and destroyed subsidiary crops. An 80-year-old woman in Tang Do village was seriously injured at the height of the storm. On March 31, large hailstones destroyed roof tiles of hundreds of houses in Trung Khanh district, Cao Bang province, forcing thousands of people to stay homeless overnight. Health ministry urges measles vaccinations for children The health ministry has urged all cities and provinces nationwide to strengthen prevention measures against measles, particularly vaccinations for children between 9 and 24 months old. In an official letter, dated April 5, 2014, to the people’s committees of provinces and centrally-run cities, the ministry asked the local authorities to allocate sufficient resources and personnel to this work, as the number of measles cases is increasing with many fatalities recorded among child patients. Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long said more than 5,000 cases of measles have been reported in the country since the beginning of this year. A majority of patients are children under 10 years old who have not received full vaccination against this disease. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), measles is one of the leading causes of death among young children. The disease, which is caused by a virus in the paramyxovirus family, causes about 330 deaths every day and 14 deaths every hour. Measles vaccinations resulted in a 78% drop in deaths between 2000 and 2012 worldwide, the organisation pointed out. Life imprisonment for leader of Dien Bien bandits The People’s Court of the northern province of Dien Bien on April 4 sentenced Giang A Tinh to life imprisonment for conducting banditry in Muong Nhe district, in accordance with Article 83 of the Penal Code. Tinh, or Giang Pa Tinh, was born in 1968 and resides in Pa My commune, Muong Nhe district. He was among seven others accused of leading, organising and directly using weapons in attacks against officials. The other accused were given sentences ranging from 15 to 20 years behind bars. They were also ordered to compensate VND138 million (US$6,480) to the family of a soldier they shot to death and provide a monthly allowance of VND300,000 to support the two children of the deceased until they turn 18 years old. The court also condemned 21 other accomplices, accused of seeking and transporting weapons to serve banditry activities, to sentences from 16 months to eight years in jail. According to the indictment, a shooting spree took place on October 15, 2012 towards soldiers on duty in Sen Thuong commune in Muong Nhe district, killing one border guard officer and injuring four policemen. Poland, Vietnam share agricultural development experience Poland’s experience in agricultural and rural development in the international integration process was discussed at an April 4 round-table discussion hosted by the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS) and the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS). Issues tabled for discussion covered similarities between Vietnam and Poland- sustainable development, diversification of rural development, social resources in rural areas and the role of education. In the 1990s, there was a rather big difference between economic sectors in rural and urban areas but the gap has been remarkably narrowed so far in Poland. PAS Prof. Krystyna Szafraniec highlighted the Polish government’s support for agriculture and rural development which has brought a facelift to the lives of people living in rural areas. He also attributed the increase in unemployment rate among the young intellectuals in his nation to a fall in young generations keen to learn agriculture. (VASS) Asso.Pro Nguyen An Ha also greatly valued Polish experts’ studies on agricultural support policy towards sustainable development and effective utilization of social sources in rural areas. Regional winners of Robocon contest eye glory Six teams - four from Duy Tan University and two others from the Ha Tinh Vocational College of Technology - will represent the central and Central Highlands regions to compete at the final round of the 2014 Robocon Vietnam Contest. They defeated 14 other teams after 18 fixtures during the three-day qualifying round in Da Nang city, which concluded on April 5. The winners were the machines that could best perform certain tasks. Qualifiers in Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City will pick 32 out of 160 teams for the final round from May 5-11 in the central province of Khanh Hoa. The final winner will join the Asia-Pacific Robot Contest (ABU Robocon), scheduled to take place in India this August. The ABU Robocon is an Asian Oceanian College robot competition founded in 2002 by the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union. Over the past three consecutive years, Vietnamese teams have finished second in the ABU Robocon competition. Overlapping policies hinder poverty reduction efforts Overlapping policies are hindering poverty reduction efforts, according to Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Pham Thi Hai Chuyen. At a recent conference drafting the Government’s report on poverty reduction in the period of 2005-2012, delegates pointed to the fact that many ministries issued policies designed for the same purpose, resulting in stretching resources which are already limited. One example of this is a range of policies on investment in infrastructure for disadvantaged communes, including Programme 135 for disadvantaged communes of ethnic minority groups, Programme 30a for the 61 poorest districts, and the programme on building new-style rural areas. The State and local budget cannot meet the capital demand for all projects under these programmes at the same time, resulting in delays in implementation of them all. The large number of policies built by various ministries and agencies also makes it difficult to keep consistency. Two similarly poor households in the same commune may receive assistance at different levels depending on whether they benefit from Programme 135 or Programme 30a, leading to beneficiaries’ complaints. Another example of the overlapping policies is the buying of medical insurance for the poor. As the policy is conducted by several ministries and agencies, it happens that a beneficiary may receive several health insurance cards, which is a waste of State money. To counter the problem, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) has proposed that all existing national target programmes for poverty reduction should be combined into a single one to prevent scattered investment. Local authorities should be given a stronger say in how to allocate investment to meet local needs, while a coordinator is needed for the implementation of policies in each specific area. According to MoLISA’s report, the country saw an annual average poverty rate reduction of 2 percent and a 5 percent fall in disadvantaged districts and communes from 2005-2012. In 2013, 621,000 poor households were provided with preferential loans for production development, and 13 million disadvantaged and ethnic people were granted health insurance cards. However, the achievements were unstable, especially in mountainous and ethnic minority populated regions where the number of poor households accounts for 50 percent of the country’s total. Peace Trees active in UXO clearance in Vietnam The US organisation Peace Trees Vietnam (PTVN), which consists mostly of American war veterans, has helped Vietnam deactivate around 64,000 pieces of explosives and clear over 138 ha of land contaminated with the unexploded ordnance (UXO) in the country’s central region since 1995. The statistics were unveiled at an April 4 meeting in Hanoi between President of the Vietnam-US Association Nguyen Tam Chien and representatives from the PTVN. Robert Stokes, who led the US delegation, said the visit from March 22 to April 4 aims to review the recent relationship between the two countries and the aftermath of the American War in Vietnam. He said the group met with Vietnamese people and war veterans, and studied the progress by ongoing PTVN projects. Chien informed the guests of the recent activities by the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisation (VUFO) aiming to promote people-to-people relations. He also expressed his hope that Peace Trees will continue its assistance to Vietnam in surmounting consequences caused by the war in the country and help bolster the companionship of the two peoples. He hailed the organisation’s contributions to disarming UXO in QuangTri’s Dong Ha city, and highlighted Vietnam’s efforts in the field over the years. The guests reviewed the projects managed by the PTVN since 1995 in the central region of Vietnam, and said they will move on with a campaign programme seeking additional capital sources for these projects. Peace Trees has managed numerous charitable activities such as building schools, libraries and houses for local people. During its 2011 and 2012 visits, the organisation made a 45-minute documentary film namely “Soldier’s Sanctury” following a US serviceman who fought in the Vietnam War as he tries to achieve conciliation, healing and friendship with the Vietnamese people by helping them recover from the aftermath of the conflict. Adoption law must improve to protect children Vietnam’s laws on child adoption have been improved and brought closer in line with international standards, especially in the case of foreign adopting parents, but further improvement is needed. The information was heard at a conference in Hanoi on April 4. The discussion was co-organised by the Ministry of Justice and the United Nations Children’s Fund to review three years of implementing the Law on Adoption and two years of executing The Hague Convention of Child Protection and International Cooperation in Child Protection. Participants pointed out several difficulties in adopting children at home and abroad, such as defining suitable parents, profiling orphans and conducting the necessary procedures for adoption. They agreed that the Vietnamese Government should continue perfecting its regulations on adoption, and strengthen coordination between ministries and sectors in order to effectively implement the Law on Adoption and The Hague Convention. They also stressed the need to publicise guidance on the law to raise the public’s awareness, and invest in technology application to serve the State management in child adoption. Asia-Pacific meeting focuses on cervical spine procedures Nearly 300 experts from 20 countries across the world attended the fifth annual meeting of the Cervical Spine Research Society – Asia-Pacific section (CSRS-AP) in Ho Chi Minh City on April 4. This is the first time the CSRS-AP meeting has been held in the Southeast Asian region with the aim to better cervical spine care for regional patients. It offers a chance for domestic and foreign colleagues to meet and share their experience in order to acquire the latest knowledge and technical skills in cervical care and advanced surgeries in the Asia-Pacific region. During the two-day event, delegates are expected to deliver reports on the application of advanced technologies which bring the best and most cost efficient results for patients, as well as on measures preventing complications after surgeries. This CSRS-AP meeting is organised coincided with the 20th annual meeting of the Spine Society of Ho Chi Minh City. In addition, on April 7-8, the US Butterfly Foundation will hold an Operative Spine Course with live surgeries to provide an opportunity for young surgeons to learn about spinal deformities and cervical spine surgeries. Vietnam contributes significantly to MRC activities: executive Vietnam plays a central, active role in addressing issues of the Mekong River Commission (MRC) and the region, says an MRC executive. Hans Guttman, Chief Executive Officer at the Mekong River Commission Secretariat (MRCS), was speaking on the sidelines of the April 3-4 international conference on Cooperation for Water, Energy and Food Security in Transboundary Basins under Changing Climate ahead of the second MRC Summit in HCM City. Vietnam is an exemplary model in strictly implementing the Mekong Agreement, settling MRC differences, and making substantial contributions to MRC programmes in terms of expenses, expertise and data, he said. He added that together with MRC member states and their dialogue partners, Vietnam has discussed and put forward initiatives on water resource security, hydro power development, and mitigation of climate change impact. The international conference brought together more than 300 scholars, experts, and managers from regional countries, organisations and development partners. The second Mekong River Commission summit will take place in HCM City on April 5. Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung will join leaders of Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand, and the two MRC dialogue partners – China and Myanmar – to attend the event. Vietnam attends Asia-Pacific reproduction congress A delegation of Vietnamese doctors are attending the 5th Congress of the Asia-Pacific Initiative on Reproduction (ASPIRE 2014) which opened in Brisbane, Australia on April 4. During the three-day event themed “The Future of Reproductive Medicine in the Asian Century”, Vietnamese doctors are scheduled to deliver several key reports and speeches. Director of the Centre for the Research Centre for Genetics and Reproductive Health (CGRH) Ho Manh Tuong, said that this is the first time the Vietnamese delegation is participating in almost all of the important activities at the event. He also emphasised that the congress is a place for Vietnamese doctors to share experiences and strengthen exchange with international colleagues. The event drew the participation of leading health professionals in the region and the world aiming to share experiences and step up cooperation in supporting community-based reproductive health. Programme provides vocational guidance for students A programme aimed at helping young people, especially university students, have an insight into their future jobs and make plans was introduced in Hanoi on April 4. Jointly launched by Rising Young Social Entrepreneurs (RYSE) and the International Training Institute under the National Economics University, the “I 2.0 2014 – Futuroscope” serves as a bridge between students and prestigious organisations and businesses, thus contributing to meeting the demand for high-quality human resources. According to a survey by the University of Social Sciences and Humanity, within one year after finishing their study, 26 percent of the graduates cannot find any jobs, 51.8 percent get unsuitable jobs and 94 percent need to be further trained to meet recruiters’ requirements. Those figures mean that a large number of students did not have clear vocational orientations for themselves. Therefore, this year’s programme helps this group understand clearly about the nature of their future jobs and capacities. The April-October programme will be held at major universities and academies in Hanoi, featuring a string of activities such as seminars, fact-finding tours, online activities and long-term contacts between students and recruiters. VOV/VNA/VNS