Vietnam’s capital city has made no progress from last year’s ranking of 155 in the 2019 Quality of Living Index compiled by Mercer, the New York-based consultancy. Ho Chi Minh City, the country’s biggest city and commercial hub, has not fared much better, moving up one place to 152nd in the global index that measures 231 global cities in political, social and economic environments against medical and health considerations. The ranking also factors schools, public services and transportation, recreation, consumer goods and housing. The two major Vietnamese cities lagged well behind other Asian cities like Tokyo (49th), Seoul (77th), Taipei (84th), Beijing (120th), Bangkok (133rd), Manila (137th) and Jakarta (142nd). Both Hanoi and HCMC have experienced rapidly declining air quality over the past year, marking them among the polluted cities in Southeast Asia. The air pollution has been blamed on construction projects, expanding fleets of cars and motorcycles and heavy … [Read more...] about Hanoi, HCMC remain low on quality of living index
Population health quality measures
Vietnam works to ensure access to health care for each citizen
Vietnam has gone a long way since it entered the Alma-Ata Declaration, joining the world community in committing itself to ensuring public health by providing primary health care (PHC) to the entire nation. Nurse Nong Thi Viet from the Kim Dong commune's medical station (Cao Bang province) walks to the house of Nong Thi La, a member of Nung ethnic minority group during a routine visit. La has been treated for diabetes. In September 1978, just three years into the country reconstruction after the Vietnam War ended, the Southeast Asian nation signed the Alma Ata Declaration in the capital of Kazakhstan, a former Soviet republic, to demonstrate commitments to ensuring citizens’ health. The declaration is "a major milestone of the twentieth century in the field of public health, and it identified primary health care as the key to the attainment of the goal of Health for All," said the World Health Organization. Along with a robust economic growth, one of Asia's fastest in the past … [Read more...] about Vietnam works to ensure access to health care for each citizen
Population strategy by 2030 to improve population quality
A medical worker delivers leaflets with information on reproductive health to women. Việt Nam’s population strategy by 2030 expected to resolve a number of population issues. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương NgọcViet Nam News HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam’s population sector faces numerous challenges, including different rates of fertility in different regions, severe gender imbalance, internal migration and population aging. Võ Thành Đông, deputy director of the General Office for Population and Family Planning under the Ministry of Health, made the statement at a conference held in Hà Nội on Thursday. The conference, ‘Việt Nam Population Strategy by 2030’, aimed to collect ideas from concerned organisations to complete a draft strategy on population to submit to the Government. The strategy for 2030 must overcome the problem of overcrowding in urban areas, bring the birth rate back to less … [Read more...] about Population strategy by 2030 to improve population quality
Measures sought for Hà Nội’s urban development
Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI – The capital city of Hà Nội is focused on building its e-government and smart city system. The statement was made by the municipal People’s Committee Chairman Nguyễn Đức Chung during a recent working session in Hà Nội with over 100 overseas Vietnamese science and technology experts who attended an innovative network connection programme. The chairman noted that Hà Nội was among the 17 largest capital cities in the world, with a population of about 10 million. Over 10 years of administrative boundary expansion, the city enjoys an average annual growth rate of 7.41 per cent. “To date, the city has established a wide area network (WAN) in all 584 localities of 30 districts,” he said “However, the city faces major challenges in terms of urban development, namely rapid population growth and environmental issues, as 97 per cent of waste is dumped in landfill sites.” … [Read more...] about Measures sought for Hà Nội’s urban development
Vĩnh Long to increase insurance coverage to 81 per cent of population by year-end
The Mekong Delta province of Vĩnh Long targets having 81 per cent of the province’s total population covered by health insurance by the end of this year. — Source http://vinhlong.bhxh.gov.vnViet Nam News VĨNH LONG — The Mekong Delta province of Vĩnh Long’s steering committee for social, health and unemployment insurance on Tuesday instructed local authorities to promote the benefits of health insurance and reach at least 81 per cent coverage by year-end. The committee said that authorities should hold dialogues with employers and employees, as well as with residents, to solve problems related to buying health insurance. Lữ Quang Ngời, vice chairman of the province’s People’s Committee, said the province would carry out measures to increase the rate of insurance coverage among enterprises and households in wards and communes. To instill trust in the public, the province’s health sector continues improving … [Read more...] about Vĩnh Long to increase insurance coverage to 81 per cent of population by year-end
Minister outlines measures to improve primary health care services
Illustrative image (Source: VNA) HCM City (VNA) – Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien announced a set of measures to enhance the quality of health care services at commune-level medical stations during an event on July 16. These include improving the capacity of medical workers; finding new operation methods; investing in human resources and facilities; applying information technology; designing special financial regimes; and enhancing communication work, said Tien at the opening of a training course on chronic disease care at commune-level medical stations held in Ho Chi Minh City. In the future, services for the treatment, control, and prevention of non-communicable chronic diseases – like diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular, and respiratory diseases – will be predominantly delivered by medical stations at ward and commune levels. A large network of ward- and commune-level medical stations have been set up across the country but the health … [Read more...] about Minister outlines measures to improve primary health care services
Health sector improves quality of grass-root medical clinics
This situation was discussed at an online meeting “ How to improve treatment quality in infirmaries in district” on July 6. Officials pointed out several examples of poor service grass root clinics in the country. Minh Chau clinic in distant area of Ba Vi district in Hanoi was newly built. It has seven medical workers including two doctors; yet just 8 -10 locals visit the infirmary a day. In addition to providing primary medical care to dwellers and insurers, medical workers of the clinic administer vaccines, manage non-communicable diseases, population, preventive medicine and nutrition. Yet it doesn’t work effectively. In 2017, only 35 pregnant women gave birth in the clinic. Meantime, Quynh Trang clinic in Quynh Phu district of the northern province of Thai Binh with five medical workers provides primary medical care to over 7,000 locals with 85 percent of insurers. Head of the clinic Dr. Bui Thi Thu said that just half of insurers in the commune register to … [Read more...] about Health sector improves quality of grass-root medical clinics
Viettel well on its way to becoming a ‘national backbone’ business
High productivity According to Ovum, the UK-based market research firm, the average revenue growth rate of the telecommunications industry in the world in 2016 was only 4% while profits downed by 1.6%. It can be seen that the telecommunications sector has shown signs of decline on the global scale and only excellent enterprises always capable of finding new sources could be able to advance. The global center of Viettel Therefore, that Viettel’s total turnover reached VND 250,800 billion in 2017, an increase of 9.4% compared to 2016, with a total revenue of nearly VND 44,000 billion, increasing by 12%, is a remarkable fact. More noteworthy, these very high revenues were made in the context that in 2017 Viettel was making huge investment in its 4G network and in the largest telecommunications network in Myanmar. In Vietnam, although the market has been gradually reaching a ceiling, Viettel’s telecommunications sector still saw a growth rate … [Read more...] about Viettel well on its way to becoming a ‘national backbone’ business
Wildlife consumption poses significant health risks: experts
Several experts in wildlife preservation have shared their knowledge with Tuoi Tre News of “myths” surrounding the medicinal benefits of wildlife consumption. ‘Not worth the risk’ I first came to Vietnam in the year 2000 to work in both Cat Ba and Ba Vi National Parks, assisting in a facility which was set up to rehabilitate birds confiscated from the wildlife trade. It was that year that I made a personal commitment to return to Vietnam and improve animal welfare. I’ve been working with Animals Asia since 2011, holding the post of Bear and Vet Team Director and Animals Asia Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre (VBRC) since 2016. I lead a team of 66 people, both Vietnamese and foreign experts in the rehabilitation of the bears who call our sanctuary “home." There are currently 175 rescued bears living at VBRC, both Asiatic black bears and Malayan sun bears. Most of these bears were formerly incarcerated on bear bile farms across Vietnam where they underwent … [Read more...] about Wildlife consumption poses significant health risks: experts
Workshop discusses measures to help development of ethnic minorities
At the seminar According to a report on policies for ethnic minorities in the 2011-2015 period, mountainous areas make up nearly three quarters of the country. They are home to 53 ethnic minority groups with nearly 12.3 million people, accounting for approx. 14.2 percent of the population of the country. To date, these areas remain the most impoverished of the country. The rate of poverty and hunger is much higher here than the average national rate, with a big gap between the rich and the poor, a low literacy rate, and several traditional cultures being at risk of being lost to oblivion. In his speech, Deputy-Head of the Committee Phan Van Hung said that the Party and State have always defined this matter and the services for ethnic minorities as well as solidarity among ethnic minorities as an important strategic position in the national revolutionary cause and so have made important policies for ethnic minorities. Despite many approved policies, their efficiency has not … [Read more...] about Workshop discusses measures to help development of ethnic minorities