Urological surgery and kidney transplant project to begin

The National Hospital of Pediatrics (NPH) and Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital in Rome (OPBG) has begun a co-operation project on urological surgery and kidney transplant with financial support from Piaggio Vietnam.

The US$500,000 project, as part of the "Vespa for Children" charity programme, is expected to help children affected by urological pathologies, genital and urinary malformations and kidney disease. As many as 2,000 children below 18 years old will benefit from this project; a number of them will be selected for a kidney transplant.

The National Hospital of Pediatrics and Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital in Rome has begun a co-operation project on urological surgery and kidney transplant with financial support from Piaggio Vietnam. 

Under the project, the OPBG will train the NHP's doctors scientific competences in urological medicine and surgery and kidney transplants from live donors.

Speaking at the opening ceremony held today in Ha Noi, Professor Giuseppe Profiti, president of the OPBG, said the project was another step forward in the partnership between the two hospitals. "We expect to achieve kidney transplants from live donors with the project's three-year time line."

At the ceremony, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Viet Tien awarded the ministry's certificate of merit to the OPBG for its doctors contribution to Vietnamese people's health.

Enhancing women’s role in int’l integration process

The northern province of Nam Dinh hosted a course on April 24 discussing ways to expand women’s leadership roles in the state sector as Vietnam’s international integration process continues.  

The course is part of the Cambridge-Vietnam Women Leadership Programme entitled “Empowerment of women in the public sector in the context of international economic integration” jointly launched by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).

Over April 24–26, representatives from cities and provinces will have the chance to improve their leadership skills, human resource management, and presentation and communication techniques.

Nguyen Nguyet Nga, the Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Multilateral Economic Cooperation Department, said the seminar allows women to discuss their opinions on major issues arising from international integration, economic restructuring, and sustainable development .
The project has been running since 2008 and focuses on attaining gender equality. Vietnamese women have been granted scholarships for study at the UK’s University of Cambridge as well as for shorter-term training courses.

Vietnam-Japan friendship hospital to be built in HCM City

Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam YasuakiTanizaki has worked with leaders of Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City on a project to build a friendship hospital in the city.

The ambassador said that the project is part of Japan’s aid policy for Vietnam.

Tanizaki believed that the friendship hospital will contribute to strengthening ties between the two countries.

Japan will continue supporting Vietnam in training medical worker within the framework of cooperation with central institutions such as Cho Ray Hospital in HCM City, Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi and Hue Central Hospital.

He suggested Vietnam and Japan should closely cooperate in health and education and Cho Ray hospital should have a new building for 1,000 in-patients.

Central region eyes dry-resistant crops

With climate change having an increasing impact, the central region needs to switch to less water-intensive crops, agricultural experts have said.

The region is mountainous with steep slopes and not many flat areas, meaning rains cause rivers to flow strongly and drain quickly and drought comes immediately if there are no rains.

It has also been the worst hit by climate change.

Hoang Minh Tam, head of the Agricultural Science Institute for the Southern Coastal Central Region, said to deal with climate change, farmers need to switch from rice to short-term crops suitable for their area.

The land is not very fertile but is suitable for short-term crops and farmers could earn higher incomes, he said.

The switch from water-intensive to drought-resistant crops should be considered a priority by local authorities, he said.

The south-central provinces have begun the task and achieved some progress though they have not fully exploited their potential, he said.

Quang Nam and Binh Dinh provinces, for instance, now lead the central region in groundnut cultivation with a total area of 10,000ha under the crop.

But the figure is insignificant compared to their potential, he said.

Nguyen Van Lam, director of the Binh Dinh Province Agriculture and Fisheries Extension Centre, said the province has great potential for switching from rice to other crops like groundnut and sesame.

"Farmers who grow groundnut and sesame can earn five times higher than those who grow rice," he said.

This year the Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) region has started growing hybrid corn on tens of thousands of hectares that used to be under rice and cash crops, according to the Tay Nguyen Region Steering Committee.

Nearly 1.3 million tonnes of corn per year are grown on nearly 242,000ha.

Dak Lak Province leads the region in corn with 117,000ha under the crop.

Authorities in the region have encouraged ethnic minority farmers to convert a lot of rice, cassava, and coffee fields into corn-growing areas.

Along with corn, many ethnic farmers also grow bean in inter-crop manner.

The region has also enabled ethnic farmers to borrow on easy terms and is providing them with corn seeds and farming techniques for free.

Thanks to all this, hundreds of ethnic E De farmers in Dak Lak Province earn dozens of millions of dong per corn crop, local officials said.

Seminar on Vietnam-France relationship

A seminar on Vietnam-France relationship was held in Hue city on April 25 to mark the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Participants heard 40 reports on France’s collaboration to Vietnam’s education in the mid-20th century, and its effective cooperation with Vietnam in recent projects.  

Dominique de Miscault, Editor-in-Chief of the France-Vietnam Perspectives' magazine described the France-Vietnam Friendship Association as a bridge to closer friendship between the two nations and expressed hope that the relationship will continue to grow and flourish in the future.

Nguyen Thu Hien, Vice President of the Vietnam-France Friendship Association said France has been a major partner in organizing Hue festivals.

Also on April 25, a Vietnam-France photographic exhibition on Vietnam’s agriculture opened in the city, displaying 45 photos taken by authors from Hue Photo Club and France and Vietnam Prospect magazine.

Holland, Vietnam join hands to develop Mekong Delta region

The Netherlands is Vietnam’s active partner in water resources management and adaption to climate change.

A seminar was held in Hanoi on April 24 to discuss cooperation plans for development of the Mekong Delta region in the framework of the agreement on strategic partnership in water resources management and climate change adaption signed by Vietnamese and Dutch governments in 2010.

The seminar was co-organized by the Vietnam-Netherlands Friendship and Cooperation Association (VNFCA) and Water Resources University as part of activities marking the 40th anniversary of Vietnam-Netherlands diplomatic ties (1973-2003).

VNFCA Chairman Cao Xuan Hoc said as both nations are managing to cope with climate change caused by natural disasters and rising sea levels, they need to take advantage of their strengths in the agricultural fields to boost development cooperation for mutual benefits.

For his part, Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Joop Cheffer expressed his hope that the “Planning work for the development of the Mekong Delta region” and other key projects in Vietnam will pay off well.

At the seminar, Dutch and Vietnamese experts heard reports on flood developments in the Mekong Delta region and discussed cooperation on plans with 4 scenarios for its sustainable growth, food security, agricultural production, and economic link to HCM City.

Over $1m invested in planting street trees

The People's Committee of Ha Noi's Long Bien District has recently decided to invest VND25 billion (more than US$1 million) to plant new trees on some streets.

Accordingly, trees will be planted on streets of Nguyen Van Cu, Truong Lam, Ngoc Thuy, and Viet Hung and the intersection between Vinh Thuy Bridge and the Road 40.

The city will also cut down bent and worm-eaten trees or trees which are grown in unsuitable positions.

The planting will be started in the beginning of next month and ended in July.

Developing coastal, island health care

A project was launched in Hanoi on April 24 to improve health care in coastal and island areas between now and 2020.

Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien said the capacity of health centres and hospitals in these regions is limited. Healthcare services, especially high-tech and specialised services, have not yet reached all people and soldiers.

Since 1991, the healthcare scheme has not paid well due to improper social and investment policies, she added.

According to the minister, population growth together with sea-based development, changeable weather and the task of national defence are challenges to the health sector’s efforts to protect and care for people and soldiers in coastal and island areas.

Approved by the Prime Minister, the project will be implemented across 151 districts and towns in 28 centrally-run coastal cities and provinces between now and 2020 at a total cost of VND8.2 trillion.

It aims to consolidate the health care network, improve first-aid and make local people better aware of the need to protect their own health.

Under the project, four emergency centres, six hospitals and one hospital boat will be built.

Tuyen Quang to move families from forests

The northern mountainous province of Tuyen Quang will spend over VND6 billion (around US$300,000) to relocate 166 local families who are living in special-use or protected forests near areas prone to landslides.

Ha Van Ngac, an official from the province's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the province had asked local authorities to create jobs for displaced residents so that they could soon settle down.

The city also plans to remove those affected by the operation of Tuyen Quang Hydro Power Plant to safer place with the total expense of over VND300 billion ($14 million).

Quang Tri, Savanakhet youths boost cooperation

The youth unions in the central Vietnamese province of Quang Tri and the Lao province of Savanakhet have agreed on strengthening the ties of friendship and cooperation in 2013.

During talks on April 23-24, the two sides discussed measures to bring into play the youths’ role in protecting areas and preventing cross-border migration, women and drug trafficking and smuggling.

According to their memorandum of understanding (MOC), they will try their best to help build a borderline of peace and friendship between Vietnam and Laos.

Education and Training Minister visits Argentina

Vietnamese universities want to collaborate with Argentina in human resource training, scientific research and agricultural technology transfer.

Minister of Education and Training Pham Vu Luan said this at a recent meeting with Daniel Filmus, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Argentine Senate and Alberto Sileoni, the country’s Minister of Education and the Network of National Universities in Buenos Aires (RUNCOB).  

Luan led the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation (SEAMEO) delegation’s visit to Argentina, aiming to promote educational, scientific and cultural cooperation between ASEAN members and Ibero-American countries.

During the meeting, Filmus and Sileoni spoke highly of Vietnam’s educational development in the context of the country’s comprehensive achievements during its renewal period.

They also expressed their wish to promote the cooperation between Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation (SEAMEO) and Organisation of Ibero-American States for Education, Science and Culture (OEI).

On April 23, Pham Vu Luan, who is also the Chairman of Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Council, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with SEAMEO representatives and OEI to establish mutual cooperation.

During the visit, the delegation participated in an international conference on information technology, communication and education held by the Institute of Technology, Information, Communication and Education of Ibero-America States (IBERTIC) from April 22-23.

The Minister’s working visit offered an opportunity for international cooperation that will help Vietnamese universities improve education quality and human resource training in scientific research.

VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA