Social News 9/10 Norway sends Viet Nam VND16bn for disaster relief Norway will spend as much as VND16 billion (US$720,800) to help over 33,000 people across Viet Nam fight natural disasters. The budget targeting the northern provinces of Ha Giang and Lao Cai and the central Nghe An Province is financed by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Norwegian Red Cross. The fund will enable the Viet Nam Red Cross to implement the second phase of the Disaster Risk Reduction Project 2015-17, following the first one (2010-14), to provide knowledge, skills and facilities for 17 disaster-prone communes in the three provinces. The selected communes have a high level of poverty, ethnic minority populations and vulnerability to disasters. The beneficiaries include local authorities, Red Cross staff and community members. During three years from 2015 to 2017, 1,200 local authorities at commune and village levels, local Red Cross staff and teachers will be provided with technical trainings in vulnerability capacity assessment (VCAs), community-based disaster risk management (CBDRM), climate change adaptation (CCA), Water, Waste and Sanitation (WATSAN) and many other topics. Public education for disaster risk reduction (DRR) will be disseminated to 17,000 villagers and 10,000 teachers and students. About 5,000 people will benefit from the project support for family toilets, water facilities, livelihood and relocation. Public mitigation infrastructure as well as equipment and facilities for disaster preparedness and response will also be provided for the target communities. The project is expected to further contribute to development of the government's "Community awareness and community-based disaster risk management" programme approved by the prime minister in Decision No 1002/QD-TTg dated July 13, 2009. The first phase of the project was implemented by the Viet Nam Red Cross in 34 communes of Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Lao Cai provinces from 2010 to 2014, with total budget of VND37.5 billion (nearly $1.7 million) and 100,000 people were benefitted. The Climate Risk Index by Germanwatch revealed that over the next 30 years, Viet Nam will be one of the 30 "extreme risk" countries, most vulnerable to disasters and climate change. Consequences caused by disasters are huge obstacles against poverty reduction efforts, socio-economic development and therefore slow down the sustainable development of the country. KOICA backs VN's green city master plan The Korea International Co-operation Agency (KOICA) and the construction ministry signed an agreement on a technical assistance project for establishing Viet Nam's Green City Master Plan today in Ha Noi. "KOICA is promoting the project when urban development and environment degradation are increasing rapidly in Viet Nam as a result of the country's rapid economic growth. We expect to contribute to the establishment of an efficient urban planning and management system," Country Director of KOICA Viet Nam Chang Jae-yun said at the ceremony held to sign the record of discussion. The US$6.5-million project will focus on developing a set of green city indexes and a Green City Planning Decision Support System (GDSS), and will recommend a legal framework for green city planning to the construction ministry. The project will help develop GDSS and green city plans, and will provide training in green city planning over three years from 2015. The 29-month project will be implemented in Ha Noi and in two selected sites of Rach Gia City in the southern Kien Giang Province and Yen Binh urban area in the northern Thai Nguyen Province. Viet Nam is facing various urban problems such as infrastructure shortages and environment degradation as a result of rapid economic development and urban population growth. The Korean Government is expected to help Viet Nam in creating a brand new city, improve living standards and in environmentally sustainable urban planning, according to KOICA.  PM approves national action programme on gender equality The Prime Minister has approved a national action programme on gender equality for the 2016-20 period, which focuses on rolling out various types of awareness campaigns. Gender equality will be promoted in schools, businesses and industrial parks. Men and boys are encouraged to take part in communication campaigns to eliminate gender imparity. Besides this, the "action month for promoting gender equality and preventing gender-based violence" will be recognised annually from November 15 to December 15, with a focus on presenting themes and messages relevant to the issue and honouring individuals and organisations that actively promote such messages. The programme also aims to enhance the capacity of elected female officials, National Assembly female deputies and female leaders from the grassroots level upwards to suggest policies related to the training and appointment of female officials. Ministries, sectors, localities and organisations are encouraged to build models to increase women's engagement and promote gender equality in areas at risk of gender inequality.  Vietnamese police raid timber warehouses near Cambodia border Hundreds of police officers and forest rangers have raided large timber warehouses, including illegal ones, in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai, Tuoi Tre newspaper has reported. The officers on police trucks came into the warehouses and then blocked entry while they inspected the timber. Most of the warehouses served as destinations for hundreds of cubic meters of timber transported from border areas near Cambodia.  Gia Lai’s police and forest protection authorities said they were ordered by the Ministry of Public Security to join the raid just minutes before it happened. “We were asked to cooperate with the central police to inspect the timber warehouses,” an official with the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development told Tuoi Tre. He refused to reveal details of the raid, saying police are still working on the case. The provincial Party unit’s internal affairs division said the raid was made after a large amount of timber was transported from Cambodia to Vietnam, following the provincial government’s decision to allow timber transport through small border gates. Deputy PM orders investigation into fake fertiliser case Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has asked Deputy Minister of Public Security Le Quy Vuong to direct an investigation into the production of fake fertilisers in Dong Nai Province. In May, the Thuan Phong Manufacture, Trade and Services Joint Stock Company, based in the southern province's Bien Hoa City, was found to be making and bottling a liquid that was labelled as an American product. Initial investigation showed that since January 2014, the company has made and sold more than 40,000 ‘fertiliser' bottles of several kinds or more than 23,000 litres of fake fertilisers. The company imported materials, falsified the origin of products and then bottled and sold them in the domestic market. Nineteen of the 29 samples taken from the company for testing failed to meet the standard index printed on the packaging. Phuc, who heads the National Steering Committee on Prevention and Control of Smuggling, Trade Fraud and Counterfeit Goods, asked for co-operation from the committee and relevant agencies, such as the industry and trade ministry and the Dong Nai Province People's Committee. The results of the investigation have to be submitted to the deputy PM this month.  Ninh Thuan: Cham people bustle ahead Kate festival Cham ethnic followers of Brahmin in the central province of Ninh Thuan are busy for their Kate festival, which officially takes place at local temples and towers on October 12.  Cham locals are excited to celebrate the festival as they have enjoyed a bumper crop.  This is the largest festival in the year of the Cham community in Ninh Thuan. Falling on the first day of the 7th month of the Cham calendar, the festival features a wide range of traditional cultural and sport performances at temples and towers.  On the occasion, local authorities have organised visits to dignitaries and families, who contributed to the national revolution, households with remarkable contributions to the locality’s patriotic movements.  In implementing the Party and State’s ethnic policy, Cham-inhabited areas were provided with financial support to develop traditional handicraft villages and build infrastructure facilities such as irrigation and transport systems, clean water supply works, schools, medical stations, and communal houses. Cham locals are active in promoting application of advanced technologies in agricultural production, thus improving their living standard. The new-style rural area building programme in the locality also recorded positive results.  Along with preserving tangible and intangible heritage and traditional cultural activities, and restoring ancient Cham towers, local authorities pay special attention to implementing research and projects on Cham festivals, culture, arts, and language teaching.  There are about 153,000 Cham people in Vietnam, including approximately 72,500 people in Ninh Thuan. Over 43,000 of them, scattered across 12 communes in seven districts, follow the Brahmin religion. Vietnam, Germany expand joint nurse training project Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Doan Mau Diep met Rainer Sontowski, State Secretary of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), in Berlin on October 7 to discuss the expansion of the Vietnam-Germany nurse training project.  State Secretary Sontowski highly spoke of the outcomes of the pilot project on training Vietnamese pediatric nurses in Germany since 2013 and reaffirmed his ministry’s support to the project.  He proposed continuing the joint programme with the addition of training courses for general nurses.  He also suggested the two countries foster information exchange and strengthen management on nurse recruitment and training.  For his part, Deputy Minister Diep thanked German federal agencies, especially the BMWi and the Federal Enterprises for International Cooperation (GIZ), for their support to Vietnam over the past years.  Diep said the pilot programme was successful, and he hoped the project on general nurse training would be implemented soon.  During the session, the two sides agreed to mull shortening German language and professional training courses’ length, enabling students to start working earlier.  Earlier, Deputy Minister Doan Mau Diep attended the graduation ceremony of the first 94 Vietnamese trainees in Braunschweig city, Niedersachsen state.  An additional 100 trainees will be sent to Germany for training this year. Central Highlands: Ethnic minority civil servants trained A seminar was held in Buon Ma Thuot city, the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak on October 8 to review training provided for local-level ethnic minority civil servants in the region between 2016 and 2020.  Jointly organised by the Central Highlands Steering Committee, the Dak Lak People’s Committee and the Training Institute for Ethnic Minority Officials, the seminar looks to identify personnel training demand of the region in order to ensure regional security and economic development.  Presentations at the event focused on several key issues, including the status of training provision for local-level public servants in the Central Highlands, training demand of Dak Lak province from 2016-2020 and supplementary training for ethnic minority officials in the locality.  The Central Highlands has five provinces of Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dak Nong and Lam Dong which consist of 62 districts; 726 communes; and 7,833 wards, hamlets and villages, about one third of which have more than 50 percent of their population being ethnic minority people.  The region has about 15,560 civil servants at communal level, over 25.5 percent of whom are from ethnic minority communities and 74.5 percent have Intermediate Professional Education Diploma or above.  However, little attention was paid over the past years to providing state management training for ethnic minority public servants while training programmes were not flexible enough for them in terms of curricular and teaching approaches.- Five-year crime combat efforts reviewed The Supreme People’s Procuracy summed up the five-year implementation of a national target programme on crime prevention and combat during a conference in Hanoi on October 8.  From 2011-2015, the procuracy handled 78 cases of spreading anti-Vietnam propaganda and attempting to topple the people’s administration, 1,192 cases of corruption at banks and enterprises, over 16,900 out of 19,352 cases of economic mismanagement, more than 114,700 cases of social safety and order violation, and 66,105 drug cases.  The sector dealt with 387,800 clues from whistleblowers and investigated 351,080 cases involving 560,000 people and prosecuted 291,234 cases involving 521,488 defendants.  It cancelled 247 decisions on case prosecution and 1,157 others on prosecution of defendants, and requested investigation agencies launch probes on 1,967 cases and 2,313 defendants.  Participants at the event asked for closer collaboration with agencies concerned and improving the quality of handling key cases.  According to them, there should be more specific regulations on the rights and responsibility of the Supreme People’s Procuracy and prosecutors.  The procuracy sector also expected the government to approve the National Target Programme on Crime Prevention and Combat for 2016-2020.- Contest on Vietnam-Australia relationship launched A launch ceremony for a contest on the people and landscape of Australia and Vietnam was held recently in Hanoi. Nguyen Huu Do, President of the Australia-Vietnam Friendship Association’s Hanoi chapter, highlighted the event running through November 2015 as a good opportunity for students to learn more about the two countries while improving their English skills. The awards ceremony will be organized in anticipation of Australia’s National Day (January 26). Contestants are required answer questions on the history and the culture of Australia and Vietnam, and the relationship between the two countries. They will also write about their feelings regarding the people and landscape of the two nations. It is open to students in Hanoi and Victoria, South Australia. RoK funds waste water treatment system in An Giang Construction of a drainage and waste water treatment system funded by the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s Government was commenced in Long Xuyen city, the Mekong Delta province of An Giang, on October 8.  The system, covering nearly 133,000 sq.m with more than 55km of pipeline, will be able to drain and treat 30,000 cu.m of waste water released by nearly 24,400 households a day.  It will be built at a total cost of over 65.6 million USD, including US$46 million from the RoK Government’s official development assistance (ODA) through the Export-Import Bank of Korea and the rest covered by the Vietnamese Government.  Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Vuong Binh Thanh said the facility will greatly benefit local residents by improving environmental conditions and public health while helping Long Xuyen satisfy requirements for a first-tier city by 2020.  Meanwhile, Minister Counsellor of the RoK Embassy in Vietnam Lee Won Ik said the project is part of the countries’ cooperation for common development that has been nurtured over the past 23 years.  Long Xuyen is the political, economic, cultural and social hub of An Giang province and also a gateway for the Mekong Delta region’s goods flows to Cambodia. Poor households lack clean water despite billions spent Billions of dong have been poured into clean water supply facilities in the central highlands province of Dak Lak, but locals don't see any clean water pouring out of their faucets. According to the Dak Lak Rural and Agricultura Development Department, the province has 133 concentrated water supply facilities that cost VND345 billion (US$15.6 million). The water was to supply 34,000 poor households and their 170,000 inhabitants. However, 64 water supply stations are in poor condition or stopped working altogether. That's half of the facilities in the province left idle. In Dlie Yang commune of Ea H'leo district, a VND1 billion water supply facility was built ten years ago to serve 717 households in an ethnic community. Four years ago it stopped working after a history of issues. In some places a pump broke down, in others a broken pipeline turned households dry. Most of the households cannot pay money for a new pump or repairs, so they continue to use water found in rivers and streams. In Buon Ma Thuot city, several water supply works were out of order for several years. From 2003 to 2005, a Danish government organization stepped in and invested VND2.7 trillion($126 million) to build seven water supply works for Hoa Xuan commune's 1,153 households. The four facilities currently don't work. Three remaining stations work but are sub-par and can only provide enough water for 188 households. Pham Phu Bon, the provincial director of the local Rural Environmental Sanitation and Clean Water Centre blames water station employees' lack of management experience. Most of them, he said, haven't been equipped with the basic knowledge needed to use and maintain facility equipment, nor how to use funds for maintenance. Other issues were even bigger in scope. Bon said several stations were built but couldn't be put into operation quickly due to a lack of electricity and water, and because of long absences of management board. "The investor handed over the water works to the local authorities for management, however we lack the money and skills to maintain the works," he said. "Moreover, people are not aware of the importance of clean water, so they don't pay much attention or contribute to maintaining those facilities. Many also used water without paying money and yet still want to rely on State support to deal with the incidents", he said. The province has set a target to provide 60 litres of clean water to each of its rural residents per person per day by 2020.  Domestic workers learn how to earn more Domestic workers are expected to benefit from national competency standards intended to enrich them with occupational skills and knowledge as well as improve their livelihoods. The standards were published for the first time by the Research Centre for Gender-Family and Community Development (GFCD) and General Directorate of Vocational Training (GDVT) last month. They were complied based on the directorate's vocational training programme and Regional Model Competency Standards (RMCS) for domestic work in Asia and the Pacific set by the International Labor Organisation (ILO). The standards cover seven groups, which are basic competencies; cooking food and making drinks; cleaning houses, gardens, yards; washing and ironing; caring for infants and children; caring for elderly and ill people; caring for household pets and plants. They also encourage domestic workers to acquire a foreign language if necessary and know how to give first-aid. According to the research centre, the standaqrds provide basic criteria for families to hire housemaids and pay reasonable wages while training establishments can use them as a reference source to compile training documents, aiming at providing highly qualified workers. Ngo Thi Ngoc Anh, centre director, said that 96 per cent of domestic workers in Viet Nam came from the country and few had finished high school. Man y flocked to the cities to become housemaids with monthly average wages between VND3 million (US$133) and VND7 million ($311). Households want to hire domestic workers who can professionally do housework, cook and look after children. However, up to 90 per cent of Vietnamese domestic workers have yet to experience any training courses and only work based on their personal experiences, she said. A housemaid in Ha Noi for three years, Nguyen Thi Thinh, 55, from Nam Dinh, has not taken any training classes. "I followed the instruction of the house owner. At first, I found it new and strange. After two years, I am gradually used to the tasks," she said. Being asked about the training course for housemaids, 51-year-old Pham Thi Minh, a nanny hailing from Thanh Hoa, said, "I do not have to learn how to take care of children. I have experience looking after my children in my home town" A recent survey by the research centre in Ha Noi, Nam Dinh, Khanh Hoa and Ho Chi Minh City revealed that 77 per cent of domestic workers want to take training courses to earn more money. Nearly 90 per cent of employers will increase wages for trained housemaids. The survey also found that Philippines domestic workers in Viet Nam, who are good at culinary skills, knows how to use electric household appliances, deal with emergency cases, teach children English and pick up children at school every day. They earn up to VND18 million ($800) to VND20 million per month ($889). Bui Sy Loi, deputy chairman of the National Assembly's Social Affairs Commission, said that the standards were compiled carefully with content meeting real demands of workers. However, meeting all these standards was difficult for Vietnamese workers, he said, adding that in Viet Nam, domestic work was considered an unstable job, only for people with low intellectual ability. Loi said that as the ASEAN community gets ready to operate, Vietnamese domestic workers needed to be trained professionally to meet regional working standards. In 2010, Viet Nam had more than 200,000 domestic workers. The figure is expected to reach 350,000 in 2020. Permanent teachers get short-term pay Nearly three-quarters of kindergarten teachers in the southern province of Hau Giang are working under temporary contracts, even though they have been employed for several years, according to an education official. Nguyen Ngoc Anh, deputy director of the Hau Giang Department of Education and Training, said 365 of the 516 kindergarten teachers in the province do not have permanent contracts. While the number of students has increased annually, the number of permanent teachers, which is regulated by the provincial Department of Home Affairs, did not increase, Anh said. Anh said the kindergarten has asked the provincial department to consider granting more permanent contracts to teachers who meet their work demands well. Tran Thi Quyen, a teacher at the Tuong Lai Kindergarten, has worked for seven years under a temporary contract. "I have waited for so long to have a permanent contract with a hope that my salary will be better and more stable," she said. "I thought about applying for another job but I might be too old to start over again." Do Cam Loan, a teacher at the Anh Hong Kindergarten, has worked under a temporary contract for eight years. Loan still lives at her mother's house, along with her husband and son, and receives some money from her in-laws to supplement her salary, which she said is not enough to meet their daily expenses. Tran Thi Anh Thu, principal of the Anh Hong Kindergarten, said the school has a number of temporary teachers with individual salaries ranging from VND2-3 million per month (US$85-130). Although they work under temporary contracts, they perform the same work as teachers under permanent contracts. In addition to taking care of the children, the teachers make handmade toys and teaching aids, and decorate and clean the classrooms without receiving any compensation, Thu said.  Unlicenced private kindergarten fined The People's Committee of Dong Hoi City yesterday decided to slap a VND22.5 million (US$1,000) fine on the owner of an unlicenced private kindergarten, where an 1-year-old boy was found abused earlier this month. The mother of the 1-year-old boy attending the kindergarten found evidences that her child was abused by nurses working in the facility on Monday. In a followup investigation by local police, the nurses admitted that they had used towels to tie up the child and stuff his mouth to keep him silent during afternoon naptime. Tran Thi Thuy Hang, owner of the Son Ca Kindergarten, will also have to close her facility. The provincial police is now conducting an official investigation.  Chung quits Binh Duong technology director position Technical director Mai Duc Chung has parted ways with defending V.League 1 champions Becamex Binh Duong. Under the guidance of Chung, Binh Duong won both the league and cup this year. "Binh Duong and I have a good relationship. I am very glad because I devoted myself to the team and the team did very well. I'm saying goodbye to Binh Duong due to personal reasons, not because there is a problem between the two sides," said Chung. According to General Director of Binh Duong Football Joint Stock Company Cao Van Chong, Chung needed a rest before starting a new job in football. Chung stepped down from his position as manager of the Viet Nam Football Federation's National Teams to move to Binh Duong in May.  Tuan Chau Port inaugurated Tuan Chau Port in Ha Long Town was inaugurated on Wednesday. Dao Hong Tuyen, chairman of Tuan Chau Corporation, which owns the VND10 trillion (US$476 million) marina, said it would offer free docking for the first six months, with tourist vessels also getting discounts on logistics services. With its proximity to Ha Long Bay, the port has been listed on the world's tourism map. Hospitals overload as dengue patients rise  As per the Ministry of Health’s figure, the dengue fever had spread to 53 out of the country’s 63 provinces and cities, infecting 45,000 and claiming 28 lives. Worse, new infection cases showed upward trend with average of 2,000 cases per week.  The sharp rise in the number of dengue patients caused to overload local hospitals. It has seen 2 and 3 dengue patients in a bed in the National Hospital for Tropical Disease in Hanoi. Dr. Nguyen Van Kinh, the hospital’s director fretted as many as dengue patients from northern provinces flocked to the hospital for treatment. By statistics, the hospital admitted nearly 800 patients including 5 percent of them being in serious condition. Dr. Tran Dac Phu, head of the Ministry’s Preventive Health Department, said that through investigation, the southern provinces become hot spots of the disease with over 35,000 infections. Especially, Ho Chi Minh City is leading the country with around 10,000 infections with 3 deaths; followed Dong Nai Province with 5,300 infections and 3 deaths and then Binh Duong province with 7 dealths and more than 3,000 infections. An overload in Children’s Hospitals 1 and 2 becomes serious because of the sharp rise in the number of dengue patients on October 7. In the Children Hospital No.1 from the early October, the hospital received from 6,000-7,000 kids for examination and over 10 percent of them must be hospitalized. Total in-patients in one day are up to 2,300 while the hospital has 1,500 beds. Dr. Le Bich Lien, deputy head of the hospital, said that the rise in the number of dengue patients, plus the surge in patients reported with hand, foot and mouth disease and respiratory illnesses has caused serious overloads in the hospital. The Dengue Department admits 110-120 in-patients per day and the Respiratory Department receives nearly 300 in-patients a day and many of them are in severe condition.  The situation is the same in the Children Hospital No.2. The hospital admits 1,700 in-patients and over 5,000 out-patients a day. In the Hospital for Tropical Disease, it has seen a hike in the number of dengue kids and adults. The central province of Khanh Hoa reported one death in Van Ninh District and 2,790 infections, an increase of 341 percent compared to same period last year. Hanoi is leading in the North with over 3,000 infection cases in 30 districts, a fivefold increase compared to last year. Yet, there has been no death in Hanoi.  Though the epidemic has developed complicatedly, residents have still neglected in preventing it. Nguyen Nhat Cam, director of the Preventive Medicine Center in Hanoi, said that the health sector has launched campaigns to clean the environment to kill mosquito larva and spray chemicals but some households did not allow spraying chemical in their houses. Symptoms include high fever (at 39 degrees Celsius or higher), headache, muscle and joint pains, and a characteristic skin rash that is similar to measles. It is unadvisable for dengue patients to take antipyretics of their own choice or treat themselves at home, as improper therapies can cause fatal complications. Anybody with such symptoms should go to a hospital for examination and treatment soon. As no vaccine against dengue is available, the main preventive measure is to kill mosquitoes that transmit the virus. 63 outstanding farmers honored In its press conference on October 7, Vietnam Farmer Association and Nong thon Ngay Nay (Present Countryside) newspaper announced 63 outstanding farmers in 2015. Most of outstanding farmers are those who are successful in applying advanced models of agricultural development or thinking of useful inventions for farming. The award ceremony will take place on October 14 in the Opera House in Hanoi and broadcast live on VTV1. Also at the press conference, the newspaper gave the prizes for the writing competition “ Proud as Vietnamese farmers”. Tran Van Viet from the capital city of Hanoi captured the first prize of VND30 million (US$1,335) with an article of new promising cooperative model. The organizers announced to launch the 2016 writing competition. Banned substances detected in animal feed Inspectors from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), the Department of Livestock Production and police officers detected a toxic substance to be used in animal feed. The news was released at a press conference held by MARD on October 6 in Hanoi. Pham Tien Dung, inspection chef said the three forces are continuing investigation of the use of the banned toxic substance called Vat Yellow. Through test, inspectors have found a toxic substance that leaves residues in animal and be able to cause cancer. Yet he confirmed it is hard to discover the substance. Nguyen Xuan Duong, deputy head of the Department of Livestock Production said that the substance is imported from foreign countries. It is used in the construction sector and not allowed using in husbandry. Upon the re-use of banned substances Salbutamol and Clenbuterol in husbandry, Nguyen Xuan Duong said that there has been a stick to detect the two substances in 5 minutes. In October 2015, the Department will submit the new test method to the Ministry; conduct regular inspections and deal strictly with the use of banned substances in animal feed. Health inspectors fine violating general facility Inspectors from the Department of Health in Hanoi yesterday issued an administrative penalty on the General Medical Room in Thanh Tri District because of violations. Inspectors imposed a penalty of VND67.4 million (US$2,999) and withdrawed the practice license of two Chinese physicians Luu Xuan Minh and Trinh Tuc Vinh in 9 months.  While inspecting, the inspectors detected two Chinese doctors and one finance manager did not wear nameplates. Additionally, inspectors discovered 7 medications and medical equipment without clear indication of origin. Of them, a fluid is expired in January, 2015 and many plastic bags containing medications without indications of origin hidden in toilet. Plant protection residues in vegetables exceed allowable limits Vietnam Administration of Food under the Ministry of Health yesterday said that through inspection on vegetables in Hanoi wholesale markets related agencies detected plant protection residues on many vegetable samples exceeded the allowable limits.  Inspectors from the Administration have taken samples of vegetables in some wholesales markets in Hanoi for testing. They have discovered that pesticide traces in 40/120 vegetables samples exceeded allowable limits. Tests also detected the presence of Carbofuran - one of the most toxic carbamate pesticides- in 13 samples and Cypermethrin – a pesticide for killing butterflies, mosquitoes, insects and harmful for human being health. Worse, 9 out of 120 samples have both mentioned-above pesticides.  head of the Department to supervise food poisoning under the Vietnam Administration of Food Lam Quoc Hung said that 14 samples were  water morning glory,  21 were sweet leaf and 5 were climbing spinach. Of 40 vegetables samples with plant protection residues, 38 were planted in Hanoi and 2 grown in other provinces. Dengue fever vaccine tests prove positive Dengue fever vaccine tests in the past five years in Vietnam have shown real promise, according to the Preventive Medicine Department under the Ministry of Health. The tests are part of an experimental clinical project on the effectiveness and safety of the new dengue fever vaccine CYD14 carried out by France’s Sanofi Pasteur group in collaboration with the Ho Chi Minh City Pasteur Institute in My Tho city in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang and Long Xuyen city in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang. Vietnam is one of five countries in Asia taking part in the third stage of the experimental process with 2,336 children ages 2 to 14 on a voluntary basis. The test results showed the vaccine was effective in 66% of children age nine and above. The vaccine reduced hospitalised cases by 81% and severe cases by 93%. Associate Prof. Dr. Phan Trong Lan, Head of the HCM City Pasteur Institute, said the vaccine is less effective in children under nine, cutting infections by 44% and reducing hospitalised cases by 56% and severe cases by 67%. The tests of children age nine and under, however, need to be watched until the end of the five-year experimental period to have a full assessment and ensure the vaccine is safe and effective, said Lan. Reactions to the CYD14 vaccination are equal or lower than that of existing vaccines and it did not cause any significant incidents, he added. According to the Preventive Medicine Department, based on research results, the CYD14 vaccine producer is taking steps to register the distribution of the vaccine for children aged nine and above in participating countries of the third experimental stage, including Vietnam. Within the past 20 years, there have had 23 studies on the dengue fever vaccine in 17 countries around the world from the US and Australia, to countries with dengue fever in Asia and South America. Dengue fever is currently a global problem and the number of dengue fever cases doubles every ten years. Dengue fever returned to China, Malaysia, Cambodia and India after many years. In Vietnam, the disease returned in 2015 following the lowest point in 2014. Vietnam saw the worst dengue fever epidemic in 1998. Medical experts advise people to take preventive measures like periodically cleaning water containers to remove mosquito larvae to prevent the spread of the disease. Outstanding individuals of science and technology associations honoured Fifty-one outstanding individuals, who are members of science and technology associations across the country, were honoured at a ceremony held in Hanoi on October 8. The event was hosted by the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA) to review its emulation movement in the 2010-2015 period. Addressing the event, VUSTA President Dang Vu Minh praised the high sense of responsibility, passion and enthusiasm of collectives and individuals, including the awardees, who have made effective contributions to the development of the country’s science and technology fields, as well as to the union’s operation. Each honouree is an example for other members of the union to acknowledge and follow, he stressed. During the 2010-2015 period, VUSTA-hosted emulation and rewards movements have contributed to uniting those working in the fields of science and technology, and creating motivating for the sustainable development of the union. Over the past five years, the union’s associations have worked out 12 State projects and over 300 scientific and technological projects, which have been applied to production or provided a scientific foundation for the making of socio-economic development plans. The union has also effectively worked as an important and trustworthy information channel for the Party and State in making decisions regarding scientific and technological issues. In the next five years, the union plans to foster the application of scientific and technological advances in manufacturing, particularly among farmers in the fields of agriculture and rural development. It will also map out regulations on commending intellectuals who have participated in outstanding scientific research and initiatives. Work starts on US$65.6 million waste water treatment system in An Giang Construction of a drainage and waste water treatment system funded by the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s government started in Long Xuyen city, the Mekong Delta province of An Giang, on October 8. The system, covering nearly 133,000 m2 with two treatment plants, eight pumping stations and more than 55km of pipeline, will be able to drain and treat 30,000 m3 of waste water released by nearly 24,400 households a day. It will be built at a total cost of over US$65.6 million, including US$46 million from the RoK government’s official development assistance through the Korea EximBank and the rest covered by the Vietnamese government. Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Minister Counsellor of the RoK Embassy in Vietnam Lee Won Ik stressed that the project is part of the two countries’ co-operation for common development that has been nurtured over the past 23 years. Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Vuong Binh Thanh praised the importance of the facility, saying that it will greatly benefit local residents by improving environmental conditions and public health, while helping Long Xuyen satisfy requirements for a first-grade city by 2020. An Giang Power and Water Supply JSC is the investor for the project and the RoK’s Kumho Industrial Co., Ltd. is the main contractor providing equipment and installation. The project is scheduled to be completed within 30 months, including 24 months of construction and six months of pilot operations. Tourism revenue in first nine months increases 2.8 percent The tourism sector raked in VND 269 trillion in the first nine months of this year, a year-on-year increase of 2.8%, according to an announcement of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Vietnam welcomed 5.68 million international tourists in the period, down by 5.9% from the same period last year. The inflow of visitors from the Republic of Korea (RoK) recorded the highest increase at 31.4%. This was followed by Hong Kong (China) (17.3%), Singapore (16.9%), Spain (8.7%), Taiwan (China) (8.4%), Finland (8%), the US (7%), Italy (5.7%), Malaysia (3.3%), Netherlands (3.2%), Japan (2.6%) and Germany (2.1%). Meanwhile, the number of domestic visitors in the first nine months of 2015 reached 48.8 million. According to the General Statistics Office, the number of foreign tourists to Vietnam in September reached over 626,000, down by 5.8% from August but a year-on-year increase of 8.3%. Vietnam’s visa exemptions to people of five European countries - the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain - contributes to bringing more tourists to the country, according to Department of Tourism Director Nguyen Van Tuan. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will continue to co-ordinate with relevant agencies and localities to actively launch and implement tourism stimulus programmes to attract more tourists from five Western European countries - Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Belarus - to Vietnam. Japan to help develop Viet Nam's industrial strategy Tokyo city’s government has pledged to assist Vietnam in support industry development, this information was released by Atsushi Hisano Director for Attraction of Foreign Direct Investment in Tokyo, Bureau of Industrial and Labor Affairs at a press conference on industry strategies and cluster development in Ho Chi Minh City on October 7. In context of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) is going to take effect as well as Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) has just been signed, Vietnam support industry will meet many opportunities and challenges in the integration process, said Mr. Atsushi Hisano. In order to Vietnam support industry adapts to new developments and overcomes difficulties, Tokyo city’s government is willing to organize advisory programs about industry strategies, donate technological machinery and equipment, and introduce solutions about new industrial machines for Vietnamese enterprises. Vietnam, China keen on strengthening transport connection Vietnam and China have taken measures to strengthen economic and trade cooperation and transportation connections, said Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Le Hai Binh. He confirmed the information about China wishing to sponsor the Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong express railway project at a regular press conference in Hanoi on October 8. Intensifying partnership in economy, trade and transportation connections is one of the important cooperation pillars between the two countries, Binh added. RoK’s National Day celebrated in Ho Chi Minh City A ceremony was held in Ho Chi Minh City on October 8 to celebrate the 4,347th anniversary of the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s National Foundation Day (October 3) and 20 years of the establishment of the Vietnam- RoK Friendship Association’s Ho Chi Minh City chapter. Speaking at the event, RoK Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Park Noh-wan underscored the growing relations between Vietnam and the RoK, stressing that the traditional friendship has been nurtured through regular visits of high-ranking leaders of the two countries. He affirmed that he will do his utmost for the Vietnam- RoK strategic relations. For his part, Vu Van Hoa, Chairman of the Vietnam-RoK Friendship Association chapter in Ho Chi Minh City highlighted the sound relations between two countries over the past 20 years, which have grown across politics, economics, culture, and social affairs. In the Vietnam- RoK joint statement issued during RoK President Park Geun Hye’s state visit to Vietnam in September last year, two sides agreed to head to a two-way trade of 70 billion USD by 2020. In addition, the signing of a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) has opened a line-up of development opportunities for both sides. The Vietnam-RoK Friendship Association chapter in Ho Chi Minh City has also made significant contributions to consolidating the diplomatic relations through expanding cultural exchanges as well as economic and education cooperation. World Sight Day observed in Vietnam The Hanoi-based Vietnam National Institute of Ophthalmology (VNIO) held a meeting in response to the World Sight Day themed “Eye Care for All” on October 8.  According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), more than 314 million people are suffering from blindness and visual impairments worldwide, 90 percent of whom live in poor and developing countries, including Vietnam.  However, the organisation said, 80 percent of visual impairments can be prevented or cured.  Cataract remains the leading cause of visual impairments in all areas of the world, except for developed countries while other main causes are glaucoma, aged-related macular degeneration, corneal opacities, diabetic retinopathy, childhood blindness, trachoma and onchocerciasis. The VNIO reported that 409,000 Vietnamese people are suffering from blindness with one third of them being the poor who are unable to afford treatment.  Of note, 83 percent of visual impairments in Vietnam are preventable or curable, the institute said.  According to the institute, about 10-15 percent of students in rural areas and up to 40 percent of those in urban areas of Vietnam are living with refractive errors.  Given this, ophthalmological doctors suggested people have regular eye check-ups every six months and avoid self-medication.  Looking towards the VISION 2020, Vietnam is striving to eradicate trachoma by 2015, conduct 250,000 cataract surgeries each year and reduce the prevalence of blindness among the population to less than 0.3 percent in 2020, said Associate Prof. and Dr. Tran An, VNIO Deputy Director.  In response to the 2015 World Sight Day, the institute offered free eye check-ups to the poor and social policy beneficiaries on October 8.  From October 8-10, the institute plans to conduct 100 free eye surgeries in Tan Yen district, the northern province of Bac Giang. Quang Ngai plans sea conservation efforts The central province of Quang Ngai plans to conserve 7,900ha of sea off Ly Son Island and then give it Global Geo-Park status. Director of the provincial culture, sports and tourism department, Nguyen Dang Vu, said the aim was to protect precious shipwrecks near the island, 30km from the mainland and turn the area into a tourist attraction. He said ancient trading vessels dating back to the 10th century had been found in the sea. "The plan also helps protect coral reefs and aquatic life for future generations of locals and tourists," he said. The province has allocated VND36.4 billion (US$1.7 million) to set up the area over the next four years. Vu said the department had been compiling scientific data and documents necessary to turn the area into a Global Geo-Park. Two years ago, two trading vessels dating back 700 years were found in the waters off Binh Chau Commune. Fragments of ceramic ware and stone statuary ware from an old shipwreck were also found in an excavation in deeply water near the islet of An Binh, 3km from Ly Son Island. Archaeologists believed the ceramic pieces were from the 15th century, while the stone fragments are thought to come from the Champa Kingdom in the 13th century. The Doan Anh Duong company assigned by Quang Ngai authorities to survey the area, discovered a large coral reef and strange stone arch under the water. The arch is believed to have been formed by four volcanoes 250 million years ago. A director of the company, Doan Sung, said a 50sq.km area of coral reefs could be developed as an eco-tourism and scuba diving site. VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/TT/TN/Dantri