Category: General

Ha Nam: President Vo Van Thuong emphasised the importance of grassroots health care while visiting some medical facilities in the northern province of Ha Nam on February 25, ahead of the Vietnamese Doctors’ Day (February 27).

Coming to the health centre of Thanh Liem district, the State leader highly valued the achievements by local medical workers as well as their dedication to the job.

He said medical establishments at the communal and higher levels have properly carried out the national programmes on grassroots health care, vaccination, primary health care, provision of adolescent health advices, screening, and care for patients with chronic illnesses. Particularly, the health centre of Thanh Liem joined the entire health system of Ha Nam in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Stressing the importance of grassroots health care, President Thuong noted there are over 11,400 communal-level health stations nationwide.

Those facilities are the closest to the people and work in the frontline. If they pe
rform well, a number of diseases will be prevented while patients with severe illnesses reduced, thus helping ease pressure on medical establishments at district, provincial, and national levels and most importantly, cut healthcare costs for people, especially in terms of chronic diseases, he said.

With good performance, grassroots health facilities will help build a sustainable future for the country, he stated.

The leader also expressed empathy with the difficulties and pressure on medical workers, encouraging them to keep exerting efforts to further improve their capacity, uphold a high sense of responsibility, and wholeheartedly care for patients.

He asked medical workers to continue seeking therapies for new diseases, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. He also highly valued the digital transformation at the Thanh Liem health centre, asking it to push ahead with the work to further facilitate health examination and treatment.

Besides, President Thuong also told authorities of Ha Nam province and
Thanh Liem district to invest more in developing human resources, infrastructure, equipment for grassroots health care.

The same day, he visited and extended congratulations on the Vietnamese Doctors’ Day to medical workers of the health station of Thanh Phong commune, Thanh Liem district./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

BACOLOD: Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez has lifted the ban on the entry of live pigs, pork and pork products from other parts of the country to address the growing demand and revive the local hog industry.

Benitez signed Executive Order (EO) 09-2024, dated Feb. 23, directing the City Veterinary Office (CVO) ‘to allow the movement of pork and other swine products in the city pursuant to the provisions of Department of Agriculture (DA) Administrative Circular No. 22, series of 2022.’

The mayor was referring to the DA directive that provides national zoning and movement plan for the prevention and control of African swine fever (ASF) and redefines the zone classification.

‘With the increasing demand for pork products, there is a need to issue additional directive to avert any threat of shortage of basic food necessities, and at the same time, prevent the spread of ASF and help revive our local hog industry and its allied industries,” he said.

The mayor said the directive is consistent with the updated DA Adm
inistrative Circular No. 22 and aligned with local issuances and national policies and directives.

Although the ban was already lifted, Benitez maintained that shipments of live pigs, pork, pork products and other related products should be accompanied by necessary permits and pertinent documents when entering Bacolod.

‘To ensure compliance to the DA administrative circular, the CVO shall strictly monitor and screen compliance, particularly on the documentary requirements,’ he added.

Benitez released the EO after he and Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson issued a joint EO, also on Feb. 23, setting aside their joint directive in 2023 and ‘establishing the guidelines for the entry of all live pigs, boar semen, pork, pork products and other related food items from areas with reported cases of ASF.’

Under the DA classification, Bacolod is currently tagged as red (infected) zone while Negros Occidental is identified as dark green (free) zone or cities and municipalities where ASF is not detected an
d are considered of low risk.

‘In view of the different classifications of the Province of Negros Occidental and the City of Bacolod and upon the recommendation of the DA, there is a need to set aside Joint EO No. 1, Series of 2023,’ Lacson and Benitez said.

Earlier this week, Lacson said that Negros Occidental will continue to prohibit the entry of live pigs, pork meat and pork products from red zones to prevent the resurgence of ASF infection.

‘We will continue to follow our policy. We will continue to be strict on the entry of pork products, especially for those from areas color-coded as red,’ he pointed out.

Source: Philippines News Agency

London: Investigation is underway into the case that seven allegedly Vietnamese migrants were detected at Newhaven port in Lewes district of East Sussex county on February 16, according to the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK.

All of the migrants are receiving medical care in hospital, the embassy said.

At the direction of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the embassy has been keeping close contact with local relevant agencies to follow up on the case, and getting ready to take necessary citizen protection measures to ensure that the immigrants are treated humanely and in line with laws in case they are confirmed to be Vietnamese citizens.

According to the UK press, seven migrants, believed to be Vietnamese, were found in the back of a lorry at Newhaven port on February 16.

Ferry operator DFDS, which runs services between Newhaven and Dieppe in Normandy, northern France, confirmed that the migrants were found on board the Seven Sisters vessel, adding immediate medical attention was provided.

Anas A
l Mustafa, 42, from Wales’s Swansea city and accused of assisting the unlawful entry to the UK, appeared at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on February 19. He was remanded into custody and will appear at Lewes Crown Court on March 18./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

MANILA: The Department of Agriculture (DA) will distribute vegetable seeds and planting materials for high-value crops that require less water in areas highly affected by the El Niño phenomenon.

In a statement on Saturday, the DA said it would provide vegetable seedlings and planting materials to farmers in Western Visayas, Mimaropa, Ilocos Region, and Zamboanga Peninsula to help them recover from the damage and losses due to the dry spell brought about by the phenomenon.

The latest El Niño bulletin put the estimated damage and losses to farms in Ilocos, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, and Zamboanga Peninsula at PHP357.4 million, with 7,668 farmers affected.

Meanwhile, potential production losses from 6,523 hectares affected by the dry spell are estimated at 11,480 metric tons (MT) for palay, 2,897 MT for corn, and 225 MT for high-value crops.

The affected rice area of 5,011 hectares is 0.52 percent of the total target area planted, while the production loss of 11,480 MT is about 0.12 percent of the target dry
cropping season output for 2024.

As for corn, the areas affected by the dry spell are at 1,263 hectares or 0.11 percent of the total target area planted, while the production loss of 2,897 MT is 0.06 percent of the target production for the 2024 dry cropping season.

Meanwhile, the department also said it would begin its cloud-seeding operations soon in the Cagayan Valley region to ease its water shortage.

The promotion of drought-resistant crops and pest-control efforts are also underway to assist farmers in areas suffering from low rainfall levels, the agency said.

It added that it continuously encourages farmers to adopt alternate wetting-and-drying methods to reduce water consumption in rice fields.

The department is also considering the use of solar-powered irrigation systems to augment water supply in areas vulnerable to drought.

It will also endorse affected farmers to the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Labor and Employment for other forms of assistance, includi
ng financial support.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: The National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) is holding consultations with Congress and the Department of Health (DOH) regarding possible amendments to Republic Act (RA) 7170 or the Organ Donation Act and other related policies.

In a weekly news forum in Quezon City on Saturday, NKTI chief transplant coordinator Peter Paul Plegaria said talks are underway to introduce possible amendments to the organ donation law and policies to increase the number of potential donors.

Plegaria lamented the ‘very small’ number of donors in the country despite digitalization efforts to intensify the organ donation campaign.

He also acknowledged that becoming a living donor is more of an ‘altruistic act,’ considering that the sale of organs is currently prohibited.

‘Talaga pong pinagbabawal po ang pagbili or any monetary or gift po na ibibigay natin sa donor po (It’s really prohibited to sell it or give any monetary gift to our donor),’ Plegaria said.

‘It’s more of we abide (by) the law. ‘Yung lang po kasi t
alaga ang ina-allow ng law natin (that is what our law just allows). And we (have) ongoing communication with the Congress po and the DOH about the amendment of RA 7170, our DOH Administrative Order po.’

Plegaria was referring to DOH administrative orders establishing policy guidelines for all organ donation and transplant activities in the country.

NKTI Public Health Unit head Dr. Maria Angeles Marbella noted an increase of 8,000 hemodialysis patients from 2023, higher than the estimated 2,000 to 3,000 reported in the past years.

Marbella said the latest figure is ‘roughly a 15-percent incidence of new cases of chronic kidney disease (patients) needing renal replacement therapy.’

‘Ito po ‘yung mga nangangailangan ng (They are those who need to undergo) hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and eventually, kidney transplantation,’ she said.

More kidney transplant centers

Citing the NKTI’s latest estimates, Plegaria said one Filipino develops chronic kidney failure every hour or about 120 Filipinos per mill
ion population every year.

Plegaria said chronic kidney disease is one of the leading causes of illness and death in the Philippines, with latest reports showing that about 2.3 million Filipinos have the disease.

He lamented the limited access to kidney transplant centers, amid the growing number of Filipinos with chronic kidney failure.

To date, the country only has 38 transplant centers, 11 of which are government hospitals and the remaining 27 are private hospitals, Plegaria said.

He said the NKTI is capacitating DOH-run hospitals nationwide to become kidney transplant centers.

‘Mayroon pa rin po kasi tayong mga (We still have) regions po sa (in the) Philippines na wala pa pong (that have no) transplant centers,’ he said, citing Cagayan Valley, Mimaropa, Zamboanga Peninsula, Soccsksargen, Caraga, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Organ donor card

Plegaria said as part of efforts to step up the organ donation advocacy, an Organ Donor Card is being distributed to encourage more
Filipinos to donate their healthy kidney.

He said about 367 potential donors have so far registered since the NKTI started rolling out the Organ Donor Card last year.

‘Napakababa pa po ng rate namin. So, tulungan niyo po kami na mas maparami pa po ang mag-register sa Organ Donor Card (The rate remains very low, so help us increase the number of those who will register for an Organ Donor Card),’ he said.

Source: Philippines News Agency

HCM City: CareerViet, a leading job network in Vietnam, on February 23 announced winners of its Employer of Choice 2023, honouring the most favourite employers last year.

Accordingly, Top 100 large enterprises and Top 100 medium-sized enterprises were announced, with the Vietnam Technological and Commercial Joint Stock Bank (Techcombank) and the Flamingo Group ranking first in each respective category.

The Employer of Choice 2023 is a non-profit survey conducted by CareerViet from late November 2023 to January 9, 2024, attracting more than 39,000 respondents of different ages and professions nationwide.

The survey to find the most popular employers is not only a race for reputation but also an opportunity for businesses to demonstrate their commitment to social responsibility and care for human resources, thereby creating a positive spillover, said Bui Ngoc Quoc Hung, General Director of CareerViet./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

MANILA: The National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) is holding consultations with Congress and the Department of Health (DOH) regarding possible amendments to Republic Act (RA) 7170 or the Organ Donation Act and other related policies.

In a weekly news forum in Quezon City on Saturday, NKTI chief transplant coordinator Peter Paul Plegaria said talks are underway to introduce possible amendments to the organ donation law and policies to increase the number of potential donors.

Plegaria lamented the ‘very small’ number of donors in the country despite digitalization efforts to intensify the organ donation campaign.

He also acknowledged that becoming a living donor is more of an ‘altruistic act,’ considering that the sale of organs is currently prohibited.

‘Talaga pong pinagbabawal po ang pagbili or any monetary or gift po na ibibigay natin sa donor po (It’s really prohibited to sell it or give any monetary gift to our donor),’ Plegaria said.

‘It’s more of we abide (by) the law. ‘Yung lang po kasi t
alaga ang ina-allow ng law natin (that is what our law just allows). And we (have) ongoing communication with the Congress po and the DOH about the amendment of RA 7170, our DOH Administrative Order po.’

Plegaria was referring to DOH administrative orders establishing policy guidelines for all organ donation and transplant activities in the country.

NKTI Public Health Unit head Dr. Maria Angeles Marbella noted an increase of 8,000 hemodialysis patients from 2023, higher than the estimated 2,000 to 3,000 reported in the past years.

Marbella said the latest figure is ‘roughly a 15-percent incidence of new cases of chronic kidney disease (patients) needing renal replacement therapy.’

‘Ito po ‘yung mga nangangailangan ng (They are those who need to undergo) hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and eventually, kidney transplantation,’ she said.

More kidney transplant centers

Citing the NKTI’s latest estimates, Plegaria said one Filipino develops chronic kidney failure every hour or about 120 Filipinos per mill
ion population every year.

Plegaria said chronic kidney disease is one of the leading causes of illness and death in the Philippines, with latest reports showing that about 2.3 million Filipinos have the disease.

He lamented the limited access to kidney transplant centers, amid the growing number of Filipinos with chronic kidney failure.

To date, the country only has 38 transplant centers, 11 of which are government hospitals and the remaining 27 are private hospitals, Plegaria said.

He said the NKTI is capacitating DOH-run hospitals nationwide to become kidney transplant centers.

‘Mayroon pa rin po kasi tayong mga (We still have) regions po sa (in the) Philippines na wala pa pong (that have no) transplant centers,’ he said, citing Cagayan Valley, Mimaropa, Zamboanga Peninsula, Soccsksargen, Caraga, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Organ donor card

Plegaria said as part of efforts to step up the organ donation advocacy, an Organ Donor Card is being distributed to encourage more
Filipinos to donate their healthy kidney.

He said about 367 potential donors have so far registered since the NKTI started rolling out the Organ Donor Card last year.

‘Napakababa pa po ng rate namin. So, tulungan niyo po kami na mas maparami pa po ang mag-register sa Organ Donor Card (The rate remains very low, so help us increase the number of those who will register for an Organ Donor Card),’ he said.

Source: Philippines News Agency

Hanoi: Vietnamese badminton player Le Duc Phat has won a ticket to the semi-finals of the 2024 Uganda International Challenge taking place in Kampala, Uganda from February 21-25.

Phat defeated his Italian rival Fabio Caponio (world’s seed No.90) 19-21, 21-14 and 21-13 in Round 16, and US player Mark Shelley Alcala (world’s seed No.102) 21-18 and 21-17 in the quarter finals on February 23.

He is scheduled to play against Juwon Opeyori from Nigeria (world’s seed No.123) on February 24.

The 2024 Uganda International Challenge drew the participation of 305 players from 49 countries worldwide. The tournament has a total prize pool of 15,000 USD.

Phat is the only Vietnamese playing at the event. He is striving to earn points to get a berth at the Olympic Paris 2024.

Earlier, he reached the quarter finals at the Iran Fajr International Challenge 2024, and Round 16 at the Azerbaijan International 2024./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency