Exhibition on domestic violence in Hanoi

A week-long exhibition on domestic violence, the first of its kind in Vietnam, opened at No.29 Trang Tien Street in Hanoi on November 23.

The event, entitled “Nuoc mat cuoi” (Smiling tear), is part of activities to mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (November 25).

On display are photos and objects telling true stories of women who face domestic violence which have been collected by non-governmental organizations from the victims.

Among them are farmers’ pipes, hammers, and dog’s chains used by husbands to hit their wives.

The exhibition aims to gather support from the community in the struggle against domestic violence to ensure gender equality in society.

Bank to help students with financial plans

An orientation programme on financial planning to help students acquire knowledge and skills to build a financial plan and on making the right career decisions organised by HSBC Bank Vietnam and the Vietnam National University has begun.

Around 3,000 third-year students from the university are expected to benefit, learning about saving, using credit cards prudently, insurance products, and even investments and risks.

Improved hospital hygiene helps curb antibiotic intake

The National Cardiovascular Institute centre in the northern region has improved its hygiene procedures to reduce the need for post-operative antibiotic treatment.

Institute surgery unit head Duong Duc Hung said cardiovascular and rib-cage surgery patient rooms, clothes, shoes, water and air were kept clean, resulting in no infections in 95 per cent of post-op cases since April.

Dr Hung said the move had cut patient costs and reduced the chance of bacteria becoming antibiotic-resistant.
Previously, patients who underwent such surgery had to spend VND1-4 million

Support key in the fight against HIV

The Ministry of Health (MoH) and international organisations have urged for support and assistance to be offered to people at particular risk of catching HIV/AIDS - drug users and sex workers - rather than punishing them for their lifestyles.

Representatives from the ministry attended Saturday's ceremony marking the 2012 National Action Month of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Combat.

Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long said the number of new HIV cases annually rises above 10,000. He added the number of cases caused by unsafe sexual activities has increased, which meant that more women and children risk getting the virus.

Punishing people who are most at risk simply doesn't work – it doesn't reduce drug use, it doesn't reduce sex work and it doesn't reduce HIV, according to Tony E.Lisle, country director of UNAIDS Viet Nam.

He argued that drug users need clean needles and evidence-based treatments for drug addiction. Sex workers need condoms, regular health checks and protection against exploitation.

"Many of these individuals are rejected by society for committing so-called "social evils". And when society rejects them, it is very difficult to reach them with health care and social services. HIV thrives in this situation."

Long said there is a lack of knowledge about HIV/AIDS among the public.

"The HIV epidemic will re-emerge if we do not pay it enough attention and put it on high alert."

Nguyen Thi Luong (not her real name) from southern Can Tho City said that she got HIV due to sharing needles with other drug users nearly 10 years ago. "I have become a volunteer to deliver free needles to addicts so they can protect themselves from this disease if they fail to give up."

A Government decree issued last week has established a framework for increasing access to methadone maintenance therapy.

The decree is a milestone on the road towards Viet Nam's target of providing methadone to 80,000 people who inject drugs by 2015.

The 2012 Action Month marks one year since Viet Nam committed to the global goal of "Getting to Zero: Zero new HIV infections, Zero discrimination, Zero AIDS-related deaths". The latest statistics show that the country has more than 263,000 people living with HIV/AIDS.

Screening to reduce birth defects by 95%

A prenatal and neonatal screening project, which could help avoid up to 95 per cent of birth defects in the capital, has been proposed at a cost VND100 billion (US$4.7 million).

The draft plan was put before the Ha Noi's People Committee for consideration, said the Ha Noi Population and Family Planning Department.

The department said VND70 billion ($3.3 million) would be spent on prenatal and neonatal screening at Ha Noi Obstretric Hospital if the plan was approved. The remainder would pay for publicity campaigns, supervision, equipment and training.

Up to 105,000 pregnant women had undergone ultrasound scans and prenatal screening since last year, accounting for 85 per cent of the total pregnant women in the capital.

Also, heel pricks or Guthrie tests, a type of neonatal screening, were performed on 24,000 new-born babies last year, an increase of 270 per cent on 2010.

Young farmers succeed in many fields

Three hundred young people living in rural areas have been presented with Luong Dinh Cua Award for their outstanding achievements in agricultural production and rural development.

The 17 highest-earning farmers each earned over VND1 billion (US$47,600) per from their production.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh expressed his pleasure that there are a growing number of successful young owners of farms and businesses in agriculture, forestry and aquaculture.

Nguyen Manh Dung, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee - which sponsors the award - said each of these young farmers has made extraordinary efforts to overcome difficulties to expand business and production.

He added that they are pioneers in rural construction and development and are good examples of creativity and industriousness.

Ninh urged youth unions at all levels to organise more events and contests that encourage young people to use their initiative to apply advancing technology in rural areas.

He said that by co-operating with relevant agencies, these unions can actively take responsibility for proposing and implementing economic development programmes in the countryside.

He also requested that sectors create more favourable conditions for youth nationwide, especially the ones living and working in rural areas.

The annual award was named after agronomist Luong Dinh Cua (1920-75) in order to encourage more young people to participate in rural development.

State employees to get four days off over Tet

State employees will have four days off work to enjoy the upcoming New Year celebrations, in addition to nine days off in mid February for the Lunar New Year festival, known as Tet.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved the measure at the request of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs. Usually employees have one day off on January 1, and four days off during Tet - not including weekends.

However, the first day of 2013 falls on a Tuesday, so the ministry proposed that Monday December 31 can be given as a day off and people will instead work on the following Saturday, which is January 5 - enabling workers to enjoy the new year with a four day weekend.

The dates for Tet work in a similar way this year, and the ministry suggested that a day off be given on Friday February 15 to create another long holiday. They will make up for the lost day on Saturday February 23. The adjustments have been made in order to give people more time for travelling and celebration which will boost the economy.

Last year, State employees had their work schedules adjusted to give them three days off for New Year and nine days off for Tet.

Viet Nam Railways Corporation will add 20 extra trains from Ha Noi to HCM City and vice versa during the forthcoming Tet holiday (Lunar New Year), bringing the total number of trains on the route to 30.

They will operate from January 28 to February 28.

$10m, rice set aside for storm victims

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has decided to provide VND210 billion (US$10 million) and 2,500 tonnes of rice from the national reserve to seven localitites affected by the recent tropical storm Son Tinh.

These localities include northern Thai Binh, Hai Duong, Nam Dinh, Ha Giang, Ninh Binh and Son La provinces and the northern port city of Hai Phong.

In addition, VND88 billion ($4.2 million) from the national budget will be spent to buy seed and breeding stock to help people restore production.

Foreign schools in danger

Several foreign education and training institutes in Ho Chi Minh City may have their license revoked due to education law violations.

Bui Van Ga, deputy minister of Education and Training (MoET), has issued a dispatch to require Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee to consider revoking licences in consultancy, enrolment and training activities of four foreign institutes and companies in the city.

They include Singapore-headquartered ERC Institute Vietnam, Institute of Financial Accountants (IFA), Sibme International Education and Singapore-based Melior Vietnam College.

Previously, the MoET issued administrative fine decisions to these foreign-invested schools.

It had slapped $10 million ($480) fine to Melior International College because the school organised college education programmes without authority’s permit.

ERC Vietnam, established as a branch of the private education provider in Asia ERC Institute, was also given a $10 million ($480) fine for unlawful activities in opening classes of master of business administration in September.

Similarly, IFA and Sibme got equivalent fines for their violations in organising education and training activities illegally.

However, these violators still continued consulting, enrolling and training foreign-linking programmes which were not allowed, according to an inspection by a representative of MoET in Ho Chi Minh City.

MoET subsequently directed Ho Chi Minh City to revoke violating foreign-invested schools’ licences in order to “ensure strict observation of legal regulation on education and training in Vietnam,” Ga said.

Simultaneously, Ga required the city push inspection and supervision of consulting, enrolling and training foreign-linking programmes of Singapore-based FTMS Global Academy offering Association of Chartered Certified Accountants training in Vietnam.

Hospital in-patients suffer malnutrition

Half of the in-patients in Viet Nam's hospitals suffered from malnutrition and needed nutritional help during treatment, said deputy director of the National Institute of Nutrition Nguyen Thi Lam.

Lam said the figure was the primary result of the first advanced clinical nutrition research in Viet Nam.

The US$3.8 million project has helped to establish the country's first clinical nutrition centre in Bach Mai Hospital.

VNN/VOV/VNS