Social News 16/6

GIZ supports Vietnam’s wastewater management

The Administration of Technical Infrastructure under the Ministry of Construction (MoC) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH* conduct a workshop to disseminate the three legal documents on drainage and sewerage.

The three legal documents are the Decree No. 80/2014-ND-CP (dated 6 August, 2014 by the Prime Minister of Vietnam on Drainage, Sewerage and Wastewater Treatment) and the two Circulars promulgated by the MoC, which guide the Decree implementation, i.e. Circular No. 02/2015/TT-BXD (dated 2 April 2015 guiding the methodology on pricing wastewater services) and the Circular No. 04/2005/TT-BXD (dated 3 April, 2015 guiding the implementation of some articles of the Decree 80). All these documents have come into effect.

The workshop takes place within the framework of the Vietnamese-German Wastewater Management Programme (WMP), implemented by GIZ in Vietnam on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The participants of the workshop share lessons learned and discuss on the local regulations on wastewater management, operation and management contracts between the asset owner and the wastewater operator, how wastewater services are priced and collected in their provinces and cities.

‘After many years of successful cooperation with the MoC and the provinces, we are very happy to witness and contribute to the significant achievements and development in the wastewater sector in Vietnam. The Decree 80, in particular, was considered as a breakthrough for the wastewater sector’ states Dr Dirk Pauschert, Programme Director of the Wastewater Management Programme (WMP).

He further explains that the Decree had introduced modern principles, concepts and important regulations in the wastewater sector such as regulations on the wastewater service price, operation and management of contracts, the connection of households to the wastewater system, preferential investment policies, provincial regulations, reuse of stormwater and treated wastewater, sludge management, and decentralized wastewater treatment…

The encouraging results of the national survey jointly conducted by GIZ and the MoC on the Decree could be seen as an evidence for the expected strong impacts of the Decree in efficient and sustainable development of the wastewater sector in Vietnam, declares Dr Pauschert.

The leadership of wastewater management companies added that the Decree 80 and its two Circulars will help to gradually bridge the financial gap between income raised by the wastewater charge and the costs for operation and maintenance of wastewater infrastructure. In Soc Trang for example, the income from wastewater charge collected from the users currently covers only 35% of the total operation and maintenance costs, including the depreciation of mechanical and electronic equipment.

Scholar gives rare East Sea records to State

Researcher Ho Tan Phan has presented copies of rare Vietnamese royal chronicles to the National Boundary Committee under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Phan believes the books could serve as evidence of Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Truong Sa (Spratly) and Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelagoes.

The Hue-based researcher said Dai Nam Thuc Luc (Great South Real Record) was a trusted collection of documents that justified Vietnam’s sovereignty over the two archipelagoes.

Dai Nam (Great South) was then the name for Vietnam. The chronicles were records from the Nguyen dynasty, prepared and issued by the office of national historiographers from 1802 to 1945.

The records also retell stories from historical era before the Nguyen dynasty.

According to Phan, the chronicles were compiled and issued continuously from 1821, or the second year of the Minh Mang era, to 1939, or the fourtheenth year of Bao Dai era.

Minh Mang and Bao Dai were the second and thirtheenth emperors of the dynasty.

In the chronicles of the Minh Mang era, the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa are described as part of Vietnam territory. Other records show how the dynasty’s emperors deployed personnel to the islands and controlled fishing in the area.

“The islands are under international disputes, that’s why these documents are invaluable for proving Vietnam’s role. Dai Nam Thuc Luc is a legal and verifiable record of a kingdom that existed in world history,” said Phan. “The records were copied and re-issued by a university in Japan, adding to the aura of trust surrounding them.”

From 1961 to 1981, researchers from the Keio Institute of Linguistic Studies in Tokyo, Japan, arrived in Vietnam to copy the records in miniature.

Last year, Phan began to compare the original copy and the reissued Japanese copies. After verifying them, he produced his own miniature copies and granted a collection to the committee in May.

Phan is a scholar based in Hue. He has a big library of rare books. Last year, he held an auction of books to raise funds for fishermen sailing to the islands despite East Sea tension.

Australian Ambassador congratulates Vietnam lychee growers

Hugh Borrowman, Australian Ambassador to Vietnam, welcomed this exciting development for Vietnamese lychee growers.

“I am very pleased that the Australian market is now open for Vietnamese Lychees. The first consignments arrived in Melbourne on 12 June and will soon be in Australian shopping baskets,” the Ambassador said

“It is terrific that Australian consumers will have the opportunity to try these delicious fruit during the 2015 season, I am sure that they will enjoy this high quality and flavoursome product – just like Vietnamese consumers enjoy eating Australian fruits such as table grapes, citrus and cherries” he said.

The Ambassador added that “the finalisation of the import conditions is the culmination of a great deal of work by the Vietnamese Plant Protection Department, Vietnamese industry and the Australian Department of Agriculture.”

Vietnamese lychees will assist to grow market demand for the fruit in Australia as they are produced counter seasonally to Australian lychees.

Project aims to upgrade National Highway 26

The groundbreaking ceremony of a National Highway 26 upgrade project was held yesterday in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa.

The project aims to widen sections of National Highway 26 that run through the two provinces of Khanh Hoa and Dak Lak.

The speed limit on 8.1km of the highway in Khanh Hoa and 7.5km in Dak Lak will be 60km to 80km per hour.

The upgrade is expected to cost nearly VND860 billion (US$40 million), and is expected to be completed by the end of next year.

“This is an important project, which will not only make travel easier for the people, but also contribute to the socio-economic development of Khanh Hoa and Dak Lak in particular, and the central and central highland regions in general,” Deputy Transport Minister Nguyen Ngoc Dong said at the ceremony.

Bac Giang Police charges man for selling stolen personal data

The northern mountainous Bac Giang Province police have investigated and charged Ha Nang Hung for stealing and selling personal information from more than 40,000 credit cards stolen from the Internet.

Hung, 25, was a college student in the capital city of Ha Noi, before he left his studies to participate in a cyber crime that brought him large profits.

He illegally traded personal information that he stole from the forums he joined online, and while chatting with people on social networks.

Hung sold the stolen data for about VND600 million (roughly US$28,000) from 2011 to 2013.

The young criminal set up four Internet accounts with different user names, including “Sumuel_df” and “Joker”. These four accounts were used for chatting on four different illegal forums that helped the users to steal personal information through credit cards.

After successfully hacking and stealing credit cards accounts, he tried to contact other illegal hackers to buy data from them for about US$0.8 each. He then sold the data for $1 each. His customers included foreign criminals.

After he quit college in 2011, Hung got married. He and his wife opened a model fashion shop to hide their illegal activities from the police.

Hung stopped his criminal activities in early 2014, but was still discovered by the provincial police.

His family returned only about VND150 million ($7,000) from the total profits of VND600 million. The money would be used to compensate the victims, the police said.

Nearly 5,000 people join Hanoimoi newspaper Run for Peace

Nearly 5,000 people attended the 2015 Hanoimoi newspaper Run for Peace launched at the Quan Ngua Sports Palace in Hanoi on June 14.

The annual event has been jointly held by the Hanoi municipal People’s Committee and Hanoimoi newspaper for the past 42 years.

Hanoimoi Editor-in-chief and Head of the tournament Organising Board, To Quang Phan, said that over the past 40 years the Hanoimoi Run Tournament has become a movement attracting the masses, particularly among the young generation, and has discovered many talents as well as promoted the importance of physical exercise among the people.

He noted that the annual tournament has also attracted the participation of many diplomatic agencies, embassies and international friends who are working and living in Vietnam.

The final round is scheduled to take place around Hoan Kiem Lake on October 4 with the participation of over 2,000 people. Hisamitsu Vietnam continues to be the major sponsor of the tournament.

This year’s tournament intends to celebrate many major events including the 70th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day, the 61st anniversary of Hanoi Liberation, the 16th anniversary of Hanoi’s UNESCO recognition as a City for Peace and the 58th anniversary of Hanoimoi newspaper’s establishment.

Ba Ria- Vung Tau: Satellite equipment installed on fishing vessels

The vessel monitoring system (VMS), each worth 135 million VND (6,280 USD), has been installed on 270 fishing boats in the southern province of Ba Ria- Vung Tau as part of the French-funded Movimar surveillance project, implemented since 2013.

Movimar satellite technology is a modern system helping fishermen receive updated weather forecasts as well as latent risks and communicate with the mainland and other boats in case of incidents.

The Vung Tau Coast Radio Station set up a centre for Movimar equipment maintenance, providing local fishermen with free repairs. A technician of the station recommended fishermen double-check their equipment to avoid electricity incidents before operating offshore.

Local fishermen expect that more fishing vessels will be provided with the satellite equipment to ensure their safety, making contributions to protecting the nation’s sovereignty of lands and sea.

Thanh Hoa: Construction of first vessels built under Gov’t decree gets credit

A State-owned bank will provide loans for the construction of the first two ships to be built in central Thanh Hoa province under a Government decree supporting fisheries development, as formulated in credit contracts inked on June 10.

The Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Agribank) will loan 12.1 billion VND (556,600 USD) over 15 years to a local resident of Nghi Son commune to build a steel fishing vessel with 811CV engines. The total construction cost is 15.9 billion VND (731,400 USD).

The Long Hai Trading, Transportation, Sea Product and Processing Joint Stock Company based in Hai Binh commune will get a 15-year loan of 6.2 billion VND (285,200 USD) from Agribank to build a wooden logistics ship. It will take 8.8 billion VND (404,800 USD) in total to build the 829 CV vessel.

The two debtors have had efficient fishing and logistics activities and good financial strength, as confirmed by the Thanh Hoa People’s Committee.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD)’s decision, Thanh Hoa will build 90 fishing vessels with engines of at least 400 CV and four logistics ships under the Government decree.

Decree 67/2014/ND-CP, taking effect from August 25 last year, provides basic policies to encourage fishermen to build high-capacity and steel ships capable of fishing offshore, a practice that could earn fishermen higher incomes and contribute to protecting the country’s territorial waters.

As many as 2,079 new off-shore fishing ships and 205 logistics ships will be built under the Decree, according to the MARD.

Beware of car accessory theft while parking in Ho Chi Minh City

While parking in downtown Ho Chi Minh City, car drivers should keep a close watch on their vehicles’ accessories or they could lose them to swift-handed thieves, as discovered by Tuoi Tre(Youth) newspaper correspondents recently.

These thieves often removed logos, wipers or wheel covers from cars parked without attention by drivers on many streets in District 1, as well as in other districts.

On the morning of June 4, in an area on Le Lai Street, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Tuoi Tre saw a young man looking into the parking lot alongside 23/9 Park, where he often removes logos or wipers from cars.

This was Cuong, 25, who has emerged in the area as one of the leading thieves of such car accessories.

After a while, Cuong walked toward the park and then entered the area where many cars were parked.

About 30 minutes later he left, hiding two logos that he had removed from two cars.

Earlier, on May 27, Cuong used a screwdriver to remove a wiper from a Vinasun taxicab, also on Le Lai Street.

At noon that day, Cuong was removing the logo of a Fortuner car when he was detected.

The man then went to the spot where he was hiding his stolen items, took them all and ran to the intersection of Le Lai and Ton That Tung Streets.

At that time, a man on a motorbike drove up, picked Cuong up, and sped away.

After days of following his operations, Tuoi Tre knew that Cuong had close relations with many vehicle keepers and guards on Le Lai and Ton That Tung Streets.

Such thefts often occur in many areas in District 1, but they were also recorded in other districts, such as District 3, District 4, and Tan Binh District.

A Vinasun taxi driver named Thinh told Tuoi Tre that the area around Le Lai and Ton That Tung Streets and the Hai Ba Trung-Tran Cao Van crossroads are two places where car drivers often lose their car accessories to thieves.

Thieves said a stolen wiper is sold to traders for VND100,000-200,000 (US$4.6-9.2), while taxi drivers who have lost this item have to pay VND500,000-700,000 for a new one provided by the taxi company.

Therefore, such drivers often to go to Dan Sinh Market in District 1 to buy stolen wipers on sale for VND300,000-350,000 only.

On June 4, Tuoi Tre reporters went to the market and a trader offered to sell a wiper for VND350,000 and a wheel cover for VND150,000.

Besides Dan Sinh, drivers who lose such accessories can also buy them from traders of car parts on Tran Binh Trong and An Duong Vuong Streets in District 5.

Police in Ho Chi Minh City said they have arrested many thieves of automobile parts.

In June 2014, 16 members of a gang that operated on a large scale were nabbed, police said, adding that the ring often targeted deluxe cars such as Rolls-Royce, Mercedes, Sprinter, Ford Everest, and Camry.

On June 6, police in District 1 told Tuoi Tre that local police have caught many thieves who belonged to professional gangs, and are continuing to work to detect others.

French firms to introduce medical advances

Nine French companies involved in developing medical technology will participate in two business conferences to be organised in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City on June 16 and June 17, respectively.

The events’ organiser Business France said these enterprises would advertise their medical technology and share their experiences in this sector with domestic firms in the conferences.

The medical devices market in Vietnam was estimated at 950 million USD and was expected to reach 1.2 billion USD by 2016, Business France said, adding that up to 90 percent of its local demands were imported, providing French companies several opportunities to access this promising market.

Business France is the French Government’s national agency that supports the international development of the French economy, fosters exports growth of French businesses, and promotes and facilitates international investment in France.

Microsoft supports NGOs for access to new technologies

Microsoft Vietnam and its partners on June 11 introduced new technology trends and updated technological achievements for non-profit organisations (NGOs) in Vietnam at its annual NGO Connection Day.

With the approach to and execution of solutions and device platforms such as the Windows operating system and Windows Server, NGOs can reduce costs and time by investing in IT and focusing their resources to help resolve current global challenges.

“Microsoft’s support for the NGO community in Vietnam will be used to accelerate IT deployment and improve skills and productivity, helping the NGOs manage IT governance more effectively. Hence, the NGOs’ staff can focus their resources on supporting the community and helping the Vietnamese people connect with better opportunities and an improved lifestyle,” said Vu Minh Tri, Microsoft Vietnam’s General Director.

The event, organised by Microsoft and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is one of several global Microsoft initiatives adopted in 2005. It aims to raise awareness among NGOs about the benefits of technology and ways of achieving optimum benefits when deploying IT resources in an NGO. It also aims to help NGOs enhance the efficiency of their operations.

In Vietnam, Microsoft has donated its software to more than 100 organisations, for a total value of approximately 12 million USD, since July 2014.

Son La: over 335,000 children vaccinated against measles-rubella

More than 335,000 children from 1-14 years of age in the northern mountainous province of Son La have received measles-rubella vaccination during a drive conducted between September 2014 and January 2015, it was reported at a conference in June 10.

The number represented 98.5 percent of the set target, with nine out of 12 districts and towns recording an injection rate of 100 percent. No case of severe side effect or accident was reported throughout the campaign.

Delegates of the conference attributed the outcomes to the strong leadership of Party committees and authorities at all levels, the smooth coordination among relevant departments and mass organizations, and the efforts and dedication of the medical staff. Effective communications efforts under different forms such as posters and banners also helped the locals have better understanding of the benefits of vaccination, thus contributing to the high rate of inoculation.

On this occasion, Son La People’s Committee presented certificates of merit to 5 teams and 9 individuals for their great performance in organizing and executing the campaign.

Additional 1.5 mln EUR for medical project

The Prime Minister has approved the provision of an additional 1.5 million EUR from Luxembourg’s non-refundable official development assistance (ODA) for a project to provide medical support to impoverished people in northern Cao Bang and Bac Can.

The project has also been extended to December 31 this year.

Initiated in June 2009, its goal has been to enhance access to basic healthcare services for disadvantaged locals.

Its first phase of the project raised the rate of poor and ethnic minority people in target areas exercising their rights and taking advantage of healthcare insurance from 20 percent to nearly 36 percent.

Government issues regulations to safeguard protection forests

No logging is allowed within natural major protection forests nationwide, according to a recently adopted decision on the management and use of these areas.

The decision reflects the government’s support towards sustainable growth. For instance, all exploitation of natural resources must not affect the forests and must be in accordance with regulations on protecting forests, the environment and ecological diversity.

In protection forests planted using State funding, it is permitted to log supplementary trees and collect rotten or burned wood and branches and roots, while maintaining at least 600 trees per hectare. In privately-funded forests, the main trees only can be cut down when meeting required standards and exploitation capacity must not surpass 30 percent of the overall tree density.

At the same time, the document allows the use of protection forests for eco-tourism under the permission from relevant agencies, and for scientific research and education. However, the collection of specimens in the forests for scientific and educational purposes requires approval.

Forest management boards and individuals who are contracted to take care of protection forests are allowed to conduct agro-fisheries production on empty land or water areas and earn all profits after taxes and other fees.

Vietnam marks world day to combat desertification

A meeting was held on June 11 in Bac Binh district of the central coastal province of Binh Thuan in response to World Day to Combat Desertification (WDCD) (June 17).

Addressing the event, Deputy Director General of the Vietnam Administration of Forestry Nguyen Ba Ngai called on individuals and organisations to cope with climate change and desertification by planting and protecting trees.

Participants and volunteers planted about 2,000 trees along the Bau Trang sand dune.

Vietnam currently has more than 9 million hectares of barren land, accounting for 28 percent of the country’s total land area, of which 7.5 million hectares are affected directly by desertification.

Binh Thuan is one of the provinces most heavily affected by desertification, especially in coastal localities. To deal with the issue, the province has made efforts to increase forest coverage.

Quang Ninh: Forum held on environmental challenges

The People’s Committee of the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh held a forum on June 12 in Ha Long city to discuss environmental challenges and climate change.

Discussions focused on cooperation and experiences in protecting the environment, coping with climate change, applying advanced technologies and using renewable energy.

Participants also discussed the advantages and difficulties of the province’s businesses while adapting the 2014 Law on Environmental Protection.

Addressing the event, editor-in-chief of the Natural Sources and Environment newspaper Hoang Van Thanh said the forum offers a chance for local governments, lawmakers and businesses to seek sustainable economic development.

In recent years, Quang Ninh has seen remarkable development achievements but is also facing great challenges, especially in environmental protection and sustainable development, including rapid urbanisation and industrialisation and rising sea levels.

The province is working quickly to adapt the National Strategy for Green Growth for 2011-2020 with a vision to 2050.

Douc langur handed over to national park

The Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in the central Quang Binh Province has received a douc langur from a local resident.

The mammal, with the scientific name Pygathrix nemaeus, is listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Pham Van Minh, a resident of the province’s Le Thuy District, found the little langur in his rubber plantation six months ago and kept it captive in his home.

After the langur developed a digestive disorder and lost weight recently, Minh decided to hand it over to the park authorities.

The park’s veterinary staff said the langur weighed 2.5kg and was quite weak. They will take care of the langur and train it in its natural habit, before releasing it into the wild.

Minh said someone had visited him to buy the langur, but he was aware of the ban on trade in wild animals.

The douc langur is endemic to provinces extending from the central Nghe An to the southern Tay Ninh and some locations in Lao. Vietnamese laws ban hunting, caging, trading and transport of wild animals.

Vietnam woman fined $300 for kicking airline employee over hand luggage row

A Vietnamese woman has been fined more than US$300 for kicking a male airline staffer at Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport in the thigh on Thursday.

Ngo Thi Thu Dong, 36, from the central province of Thua Thien-Hue, was subject to a VND7.5 million (US$344) fine for causing disorder at the airport, the Southern Airports Authority (SAA) said Friday.

On June 11, Dong was carrying procedures for taking Flight VJ811 of the Vietnamese budget carrier Vietjet Air to Singapore when a ground service employee found her carrying two bags weighing 23 kg in toltal and a 4-kg stroller, even though she took no baby along with her.

The aviation staff told her that her hand luggage could only weigh 7kg at most, and that no stroller is allowed to be onboard unless it is accompanied by a baby.

As the staffer insisted that Dong comply with the regulations, the woman stroke her hand on the staffer’s desk and shouted that she only deposited her two bags and would continue carrying the stroller with her.

A VietJet Air representative then showed up and explained relevant regulations to her. Dong then said she would leave the stroller for her relative to keep, which turned out to be a lie.

Dong was still carrying the pram as she waited to board the plane, prompting a male airline staffer on duty to stopped her from boarding, and gave the same explanation to her.

Dong then became furious and shouted obscene words at the staffer.

Not only when the carrier warned that she would not allowed to board if she insisted on carrying the stroller with her did the angry woman agree to leaving the stroller behind.

Dong indeed left the pram behind, but as soon as she passed the gate, she returned and kicked the staffer who had stopped her in the thigh before rushing to an airport bus.

Airport security officers immediately came and forced Dong to get out of the bus. They then escorted her to their office for making a report about her offenses.

Last month, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam issued a decision to impose a six-month flight ban on Nguyen Thi Hang, 35, who slapped Nguyen Thanh Nguyen, a staffer of VietJet Air, on the face at the same airport on April 7.

On that day, after completing procedures, Hang arrived at gate no. 16 of the domestic terminal to board a VietJet Air flight to Hanoi, bringing with her two handbags.

At that time, Nguyen realized that the total weight of the woman’s hand luggage might have exceeded the 7kg cap, so he requested that Hang have her baggage measured and weighed again.

Even though she put the luggage on the scale again, Hang still did not agree with Nguyen’s request and thus slapped him on the face.

On April 11, the SAA fined Hang the same fine (VND7.5 million) for her administrative violation.

Ha Tinh residents fear unsafe illegal fuel stations

Residents in crowded residential areas of Ha Tinh Province have to live surrounded by the constant threat of illegal fuel stations and shops, which defy regulations and ignore attempts by authorities to remove them.

Fuel stations are supposed to be 100m from a residence, but a man who lives next to one with his family, said, “The petrol smell is constant and everywhere. We get headaches. Apart from the environment pollution, everyone is scared of a fire.”

Many small outlets, which are required to be at least 300 square metres, but are often no more than street corner suppliers, do not meet environmental or safety requirements and refuse to relocate.

Nam Ha Petroleum Agency unlicensed

Nam Ha Petroleum Agency had its business license revoked in 2012. It continues to operate and has ignored orders that it close.

Tran Manh Son, head of the Office of Industry and Trade in Can Loc District, said, “There are 18 stations in the district and we are asking four to stop operating because they do not meet regulations.”

He said the authorities were looking at the Nam Ha Petroleum Agency case and would try to find a solution.

Concern over state compensation for wrongful conviction

Vietnam’s Supreme Court said an innocent man in Bac Giang Province, who served 10 year’s in prison after being wrongfully convicted for murder, should receive VND7.2bn (USD342,850) compensation, the decision attracting criticism for using state money to redress evidentiary failure.

Bac Giang Province People’s Court sentenced Nguyen Van Chan in March 2004 to death, commuted to life imprisonment because of his father’s contributions to the revolution, for the murder of Nguyen Thi Hoan in August 2003 at her home.

Evidence was presented that footprints “almost” matching Chan’s were found near the crime scene, and that he was acting “suspiciously” on the day of the murder. He was arrested six weeks after the crime was committed.

Chan maintained his innocence and made several appeals, reaching the People’s Supreme Court in July 2004, which upheld the conviction.

He persisted, and his wife worked continuously for his release, accusing another man, Ly Nguyen Chung, who lived in the same village, of the murder.

The People’s Supreme Procuracy, along with other management agencies, interviewed Chung, who, in October 2013, confessed to killing Hoan during a robbery of her home.

After Chan was acquitted, he filed complaints against a number of government agencies, alleging in part that police threatened to kill him unless he pleaded guilty. He sought VND10bn in damages.

The Supreme Court weighed his claim and awarded him VND7.2bn, to be paid by the state.

It ordered last September the arrest of a prosecutor and a senior police officer in Bac Giang Province on charges of falsifying trial documents.

Le Nhu Tien, deputy head of the Vietnamese National Assembly’s Committee for Culture, Education, Youth, Adolescents and Children, said the state should not be held entirely responsible for the compensation award, and it should be shared by those who caused the wrongful conviction.

Many DTiNews readers have said it is the duty of individuals involved to pay.

“It is unfair when some officials caused the mistakes and the state budget, sourced from people’s taxes, is penalised,” a reader said.

Tran Viet Hung, deputy head of the Ministry of Justice’s Compensation Department, told DTiNews that inspectors and the prosecution did not falsify evidence but made a number of mistakes, which should have been corrected by the court, so the state had to take ultimate responsibility.

Hung said the Compensation Law of January 1, 2010, means no individual can be held liable to pay compensation if they made unintentional mistakes.

Tien said the law should be revised to include individual responsibility for compensation in the event of wrongful convictions.

Medical specialist shortage in Mekong Delta

Specialist medical care is in short supply in the Mekong Delta region, with life-threatening but unpopular fields, such as tuberculosis and leprosy, the hardest hit.

Hospitals and medical practices cannot find enough doctors who understand tuberculosis, leprosy, neurology, psychiatry and forensic pathology, which do not attract sufficient government funding.

Student doctors tend to gravitate towards safe, low stress, and highly paid specialisms that do not require long hours.

Medical students also tend to move to major cities to work once qualified, rather than return to their home regions.

The Health Ministry said Vietnam ranks 12th out of the top 22 countries most affected by tuberculosis, with 130,000 new patients a year, but 332 of 1611 communes in the Mekong Delta do not have doctors.

The Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy said the Mekong Delta Region has the lowest doctor-to-patient ratio in Vietnam. More than 70 communes in Kien Giang Province have no doctors, while Soc Trang Province has 3.89 doctors for every 10,000 people.

Local authorities and the Ministry of Education and Training are trying to attract and train more doctors with specialist skills, but so far have had little success. Many localities have suggest offering more financial incentives to attract skilled personnel.

Pham Van Linh, head of the Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy, said the cost for healthcare science training courses are high, and medical students needed additional training within basic courses to improve the skills of new doctors.

VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/TT

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