Fraud ring prosecuted for making fake Govt seals

Police prosecuted five members of a ring who were suspected of producing fake Government seals used for appropriating property in northern Hai Phong City's Kien An District yesterday, March 27.

Ringleader Dinh Thi Dat was remanded in custody for further investigation and four members were forbidden from leaving the district.

Police believe Dat borrowed VND2.8 billion (US$133,000) from Bui Tien Dung in late 2010, but she failed to repay the money to Dung.

Dat paid VND77 million ($3,700) to hire six members of a ring to produce three fake land-use right certificates worth tens of billions of dong.

She gave one of the faked certificates to Dung so that she wouldn't have to repay her debt.

She also used another faked certificate to borrow VND2.8 billion ($133,000) from a local couple.

Local police are still searching for the sixth member of the ring.

Hanoi to host 9th Asia-Pacific Burn Congress

The 9th Asia-Pacific Burn Congress will take place in Hanoi from April 3-5, said Major General Le Nam, Director of the Vietnam National Institute of Burns at a press briefing on March 27.

Themed “Challenges in Total Burn Care,” the event is expected to draw the participation of 600 delegates, including 300 leading regional and international experts on burns, wound healing and plastic surgery.

Participants will hear 127 reports, focusing on burn epidemiology, emergency aid for burn disasters, new advances in burn treatment, skin alternative materials, rehabilitation and plastic surgery for burn patients.

Organisers said the biennial congress will offer a chance for Vietnamese and international scientists to exchange and update knowledge as well as strengthen their mutual understanding.

Through the event, Vietnam will introduce its burn treatment achievements and affirm its role as a member of the Asia-Pacific Burn Association.

As a leader in burn treatment in the country, the Vietnam National Institute of Burns, also known as the Le Huu Trac National Institute of Burns, treats thousands of patients a year.

It has successfully treated the patients with more than 90 percent of body burnt, reducing the fatality rate to 1.5 percent.

In 2011, the institute’s method of applying microsurgery on deep burns was recognised by the Ministry of Health as one of the top 10 medical and pharmaceutical achievements of Vietnam.

OIF helps Vietnamese civil servants improve language skills

The Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV) commenced French language courses on March 27.

These courses are part of a cooperative agreement between Vietnam and the International Organization of the Francophonie (OIF) to train Vietnamese diplomatic cadres and civil servants over the 2013-2016 period.

Addressing the opening ceremony, DAV Deputy Director Nguyen Dinh Thao said that 2013 marks a new chapter for the Francophone community in Vietnam, with the implementation of the cooperative agreement now underway.

OIF representative to Asia-Pacific Anissa Barrak emphasised that French language training for diplomatic officials is a direct result of Vietnam’s central role in the Francophone community for the region.

The commitment reflects Vietnam’s determination in promoting French and other languages for international relations.

Nguyen Ngoc Son stressed that the language program is one of several concrete measures to implement the policies of OIF member states to strengthen cooperation with the Asia-Pacific region. Vietnam is the first nation to implement the project.

This move affirms the OIF’s trust in Vietnam as a proactive member of the Francophone community in the country. Vietnam has shown a renewed vigour to improve the French skills of Vietnamese diplomatic officials and civil servants, especially those in charge of international cooperation departments.

Comprehensive water supply plan could cost capital $3.4b

All Hanoians are expected to get clean water under the city's Water Supply Plan for 2030 with a vision towards 2050 recently signed by Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai.

By 2020, the city's population will require an estimated 1.28 million cubic meters of clean water each day. This number will increase to 1.39 million by 2030.

The VND72 trillion (US$3.4 billion) project will build 24 water supply plants on the Hong (Red) River, Duong River and Da River to meet the growing demand.

Funding will be mobilised from various sources including the State Budget, official development assistance and international and domestic capital, Hai said.

Hai assigned the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to co-operate with the city People's Committee to implement the plan.

He also ordered the ministry to identify the underground water reserves in the city and assess how exploiting the underground water would impact land and water resources.

Ha Noi has about 6.4 million people living on an area of 3,300 square kilometres. According to local authorities, 100 per cent of the population in urban districts has access to clean water, while only 33 per cent of those living in outlying areas enjoy these conditions.

Superior Buddhist monk Thich Thanh Bich mourned

A ceremony was held yesterday for Superior Most Venerable Thich Thanh Bich, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Buddhist Shangha, who passed away last Saturday at the age of 101.

President Truong Tan Sang, and other leaders of the Party, State, the Viet Nam Fatherland Front, ministries and branches and organisations sent wreaths and condolences to the Shangha, followers and family of the monk.

The ceremony was held at Hoi Xa communal house, Thang Loi Commune, Thuong Tin District, Ha Noi, the superior monk's hometown.

Superior Buddhist monk Bich had been presented the Great National Unity Order and Certificate of Merit of the Viet Nam Buddhist Shangha, among other awards.

Vietnam’s healthcare effort praised

International partners applauded the efforts Vietnam has made over the past years for many significant achievements in the healthcare sector, and pledge to continue working closely with the country.

The statement was made by Pratibha Mehta, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Vietnam, at a conference co-chaired by Minister of Healthcare Nguyen Thi Kim Tien and World Bank (WB) Country Director for Vietnam Victoria Kwakwa, in Hanoi on March 27.

The UN official affirmed that Vietnam has reached a number of millennium goals such as providing vaccination for most of newborn children, reducing the maternal mortality rate, and offering healthcare services for mothers, poor children and those of minority ethnic groups and in remote areas.

However, she also pointed out the gap in healthcare services among residential groups and regions, and called on the country to exert more efforts to narrow it.

At the conference, representatives of the Health Ministry suggested the inclusion of the Millennium Development Goals relating to health care into the local socio-economic development plans so as to attract investment from local and state budget as the foreign aid to Vietnam is reducing.

Viet Nam faces population challenge as births decline

Investing more in education and job generation for young people would be key solutions for Viet Nam to tackle demographic challenges, population experts agreed at a conference in Ha Noi yesterday.

Duong Quoc Trong, director of the General Office for Population and Family Planning, said new challenges had arisen from the country's significant achievements in tackling the population boom over the past 50 years.

The average number of children born by each woman of child-bearing age has reduced from 6.3 in 1961 to 2 in 2010.

The children from the baby boom are now of working age and the country is experiencing a potential demographic golden period in which the group of working-age people reaches its maximum.

"It is one of the greatest challenges that the country faces. How can we take advantage of the period economic experts have dubbed a "golden opportunity" for national growth?" said Trong.

In addition, life expectancy has increased from 40 in 1960 to 73 in 2010, and the number of elderly people will increase sharply in the future putting new pressure on the population structure.
Different birth rates in different areas and regions created another challenge, he said. The rate in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta is 1.84 whereas in the Central Highlands region it is 2.65.

Participants from Viet Nam and other countries including Thailand, China, Singapore and India shared experiences in responding to slowing population growth and how to develop a proper population structure to avoid a shortage of human resources in the future.

Trong suggested the country have different population policies for different regions to ensure harmonious and equal development so that everyone could access social services including reproductive health services.

Professor Gavin Jones, an expert from the National University of Singapore, said that Viet Nam should aim for policies that made it easier for both parents by combining child-rearing and involvement in the workforce.

"Making it more feasible will both increase levels of well-being and help to prevent the birth level from falling to an undesirably low level," he said.

The Government will need to work with employers to ensure that workplaces become more family-friendly.

Representative of the United Nations Population Fund in Viet Nam Mandeep O'Brien said investing in young people's access to quality social services, including sexual and reproductive health, could reap benefits for sustainable development.

Fake shampoo found in Ha Giang

Nearly 25,000 fake shampoo products have been seized in northern Ha Giang Province, local market watch announced on Tuesday.

The fake products under famous brands such as Clear, Dove, SunSilk, and Xmen were found in a car driven by a man from the central province of Nghe An.

The driver confessed to transport the products to groceries in Ha Giang Province for sale.

The products were confiscated for further investigation.

Quang Ngai supports fishermen in distress

The Fishermen Support Fund in the central province of Quang Ngai yesterday, March 27, provided assistance to 31 local fishermen who have been in distress in the Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands this year.

Accordingly, each of the 31 fishermen of the two fishing boats in the districts of Ly Son and Binh Son was given VND2 million (US$95) while VND25 million ($1,000) and fishing equipment was presented to three local boat owners.

The crew and boat owners also received financial support from the provincial People's Committee and the Rang Dong Light Source and Vacuum Flash Joint Stock Company.

VNN/VOV/VNS