Vietnam News Today (Apr. 12): Vietnam, Laos Work to Foster Border Trade Collaboration

Photo: VOV

Daily local cases at over 23,000,Hanoi ready to start inoculating children

The Health Ministry on April 11 announced the detection of a further 23,184 new Covid-19 cases, down more than 5,000 cases from the previous day.

Hanoi continued to account for the majority of infections with 2,011 cases confirmed over the past 24 hours, followed by the northern provinces of Nghe An and Vinh Phuc at 1,470 and Yen Bai at 1,271, respectively.

The Ministry also reported another 17 deaths due to Covid-19, thereby raising the total number of deaths so far to 42,830 cases, or around 0.4% of all infections.

As many as 22,400 cases were declared to be free from SARS-CoV-2, lifting the total number of recoveries to 8,554,923.

The country has to date administered a total of 208.5 vaccine doses, cited VOV.

Moving forward, Hanoi is prepared to vaccinate children aged five to 11.

Chu Xuan Dung, vice chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee, has requested related units prepare necessary conditions for the vaccination of children aged from five to 11.

The number of new Covid-19 cases, severe patients, and deaths has seen a sharp fall over recent days, he said, while urging good management of high-risk groups and a review of third injections for people over 18 years old.

With the approval of Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines for use in children aged five to 11, the Vietnamese Government has decided to buy 21.9 million doses of Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine for kids.

Vietnam, Laos work to foster border trade collaboration

The 12th Vietnam - Laos border trade development cooperation conference was held in the Lao capital of Vientiane on April 11 under the co-chair of Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien and his Lao counterpart Khampheng Xaysompheng.

Addressing the event, Dien highlighted significant progress in the bilateral trade, especially via the border, since the 11th conference in 2018.

In 2021, Vietnam-Laos trade hit US$1.37 billion, up 33.3 percent from 2020. Vietnam imported goods worth nearly US$780 million from Laos, an annual increase of 70 percent, according to the Vietnamese minister.

Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien (L) and his Lao counterpart Khampheng Xaysompheng co-chair the conference. Photo: VNA

The results were impressive but yet to be on par with commercial potential of both countries, he noted.

The conference pointed out causes behind the issue such as ineffective policies to attract investment in production, infrastructure, transport, and logistics in border areas; as well as slow construction of infrastructure projects, particularly inter-district roads.

The two sides agreed with seven cooperation orientations for the time to come, reported VNA.

Accordingly, they will study and propose more effective investment attraction policies; promote the negotiation towards the signing of a memorandum of understanding on border infrastructure development and connection between the Vietnamese and Lao governments. Documents signed between the two nations like the Vietnam – Laos free trade agreement and the 2007 Hanoi Agreement will be reviewed and amended to make them more suitable to the current situation.

The two sides also agreed to facilitate the flow of products into each other's market, particularly farm produce and team up in combating smuggling, commercial frauds, and illegal transportation of goods via the shared border.

Concluding the conference, the two ministers signed the minutes on border trade development cooperation between the two countries as a basis for them to develop and implement tasks in the future.

President praises hospital for successful liver transplantation for 9-month-old child

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc has praised the Vietnam National Children’s Hospital for their successful liver transplantation operation on a nine-month-old child, who is discharged from the facility on April 11.

Weighing 8.2 kilograms, the young boy was at the end-stage of a liver disease caused by advanced biliary cirrhosis. It was a result of a rare disease of the liver and biliary tract called congenital biliary atresia.

He then underwent a nine-hour surgery to receive a transplant from his father at the Vietnam National Children’s Hospital on March 14.

This was the 25th successful liver transplant at the hospital, and was entirely conducted by native doctors with no help from foreign experts.

Doctors performing the liver transplant surgery on the nine-month-old boy. Photo: Vietnam National Children’s Hospital

Acknowledging that the operation requires the most advanced techniques in organ transplantation, President Phuc praised the doctors for their thorough preparations to be fully in control of the preliminary examinations, as well as the techniques in the transplantation, anesthesia and recovery process, with their relentless efforts in improving their medical knowledge and skills, according to NDO.

The successful operation has given new hopes to families whose children suffered from end-stage liver failure diseases, said the President.

As of current, the Vietnam National Children’s Hospital has conducted the largest number of children's liver transplants in the country, many of which are of complicated nature and require advanced skills. These include cases of different blood groups, children with liver cancer or genetic disease, and underweight child patients.

President Phuc sent his wishes that the doctors and medical staff at the hospital continue with their spirit of “Dedication – Excellence for Vietnamese children’s health”, to bring a new life to more children with severe illnesses.

National plan for natural disaster prevention and control released

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has coordinated with relevant ministries, sectors and localities to build a national plan for natural disaster prevention and control to 2025.

Under Decision No. 342/QĐ-TTg issued by the Prime Minister on March 15, 2022, the plan defines major tasks in the 2021-2025 period to implement the strategy on natural disaster prevention and control by 2030, with a vision to 2050.

The overall aim is to improve capacity for natural disaster prevention and control, climate change adaptation to proactively respond to and reduce damage caused by natural disasters.

Illustrative image. Photo: VNA

The plan concentrates on completing laws, mechanisms, and policies; disseminating laws and skills and raising public awareness; building capacity for natural disaster prevention and control; improving disaster forecasting and warning; conducting basic investigations and developing master plans and planning for natural disaster prevention and control; promoting international cooperation and the application of science and technology; and investing in infrastructure.

To effectively implement the goals set out in the plan, MARD has asked ministries, ministerial-level agencies, Government agencies, and People's Committees of provinces and central-run cities to focus on popularizing the contents of the plan, especially those related to State management, cited VNA.

The above-mentioned agencies will be responsible for specifying tasks and projects they are assigned to do as a basis for building an appropriate implementation schedule to ensure synchronization, consistency and efficiency.

They are called to arrange funds from the State budget, the natural disaster prevention and control funds, and other social resources; and integrate the natural disaster prevention and control into relevant projects with Circular No. 10/2021/TT-BKHDT dated December 22, 2021 by the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

Hanoi begins countdown to SEA Games 31

Hanoi began counting down 31 days left until the opening of the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) at a ceremony held at Ly Thai To Statue and Hoan Kiem lake area on April 11, which attracted the attendance of more than 3,000 athletes and local people.

In his remarks at the event, Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Chu Ngoc Anh said 19 years from SEA Games 22, the capital city is honored to be selected as the venue for the regional tournament’s opening, closing ceremonies and many sports.

At the ceremony. Photo: VOV

Hanoi has basically completed preparations in terms of facilities and decorations, getting itself ready for the important political and sport event, the official informed.

The ceremony also saw the organization of the Olympic Run Day for Public Health and the launch of the 47th edition of the Ha Noi Moi Newspaper Run. In response, participants took to the street to run around the lake.

The two races, simultaneously taking place across 30 localities of the capital, aim to raise public awareness of the importance of physical training and improvement in the integration period, reported VNA.

SEA Games 31, themed “For a Stronger South East Asia”, will be held in Hanoi and 11 neighboring provinces and cities from May 12 to 23. Featuring 40 sports with 526 events, it is expected to attract around 10,000 participants. The biennial event was initially slated for late 2021 but delayed due to the pandemic’s impact.

The host Vietnam has registered 965 athletes, including 534 males and 431 females, who are set to compete at all 40 sports of the Games, striving to win 140 gold, 77 silver and 71 bronze medals and secure the top place in the tally.

At the 30th SEA Games in 2019, the Vietnamese sports delegation finished second in the overall medal tally, with 98 golds, 85 silvers and 105 bronzes, just behind the host Philippines.

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