Day: November 6, 2022

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam recently signed a decision approving a programme to ensure vaccine supplies for vaccination till 2030.

 

The programme aims to meet demand for vaccines against communicable diseases in three areas. These include the expanded immunisation programme, vaccines used for service immunisation and for epidemic disease prevention and control.

 

By 2025, Vietnam will master technology to produce 10 types of vaccines, produce at least three vaccines, including 5-in-1 vaccine against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, Haemophilus Influenzae (Hib) and either polio or hepatitis B.

 

By the 2030, the country is expected to master production technology for 15 vaccine types and able to produce five types that are comparable to international-standard ones.

 

The programme suggested issuing mechanisms and incentives for vaccine research and production. This would be especially important for vaccines against newly-emerging, dangerous, and highly infectious diseases; combination vaccines and those against diseases unavailable in the expanded immunisation programme.

 

Regulations related to vaccine licensing, bidding, procurement, supply and use were also proposed.

 

Other suggestions include improving infrastructure to develop vaccine sci-tech and innovation centres, adopting new technology to produce vaccines against cancer, as well as combination vaccines.

 

More developments include human resources for vaccine research and production, expanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation with foreign countries, and studying a financial mechanism to ensure the right prices of vaccines for domestic use./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

 

Vietnam targets exporting fruits worth over 5 billion USD by 2025 and roughly 6.5 billion USD by 2030, according to a project recently approved by the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).

 

Accordingly, 14 types of key fruit trees have been chosen for intense cultivation. These include dragon fruit, mango, banana, lychee, longan fruit, orange, pomelo, pineapple, rambutan, durian, jackfruit, passion fruit, avocado and custard apple.

 

By 2025, the total fruit farming area nationwide will reach 1.2 million ha with an output of 14 million tonnes. Of which, the 14 kinds of fruits will be grown on 960,000 ha with an output of around 11-12 million tonnes.

 

By 2030, the country will have 1.3 million ha for fruit cultivation which will yield more than 16 million tonnes. There will be 1 million ha for growing the above fruits with some 13-14 million tonnes.

 

The MARD assigned the Plant Protection Department to work with localities to control fruit diseases, and instruct growers to build farming area codes. This helps to provide trace origin codes for products, making it easier to expand exports. This is especially important for markets in Japan, the US, Canada, the Republic of Korea, Russia, ASEAN, EU, Middle East and North Africa, apart from the traditional market of China.

 

The General Department of Customs reported that in eight months of this year, dragon fruit was the top currency earner among other fruits with nearly 463 million USD, followed by banana with 237 million USD and durian 158 million USD./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

 

The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) has won 20 prizes at the eighth National External Information Service Awards.

 

The agency contributed two first, six second, three third and nine consolation prizes.

 

Co-organised by the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Information and Education and the Central Steering Committee for External Information Service, the annual awards aim to honour outstanding authors, books and publications in the field of external information and contribute to promoting the country’s development achievements in various areas.

 

In his remarks at the award ceremony in Hanoi on November 5 evening, Politburo member and permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Vo Van Thuong stressed that the works have significantly contributed to promoting patriotism, strengthening the great national unity bloc, and introducing the land and people of Vietnam to the world.

 

He asked those working in the external information service sector to be well aware of the country’s position and prestige as well as the regional and global situation to improve the efficiency of the communication work.

 

They were also urged to create breakthroughs in operations through digital transformation, and work harder in the fight against distorted information and allegations, thus foiling the plots to defame the Party and the State, especially in the fields of religion, democracy and human rights.

 

Between April and August 2022, organisers received 1,172 entries, up 11 as compared with the previous edition and the biggest number so far. The works, published in 14 languages, included 70 by foreigners and overseas Vietnamese.

 

They covered the country’s important political, socio-economic events and external affairs, along with guidelines and policies adopted by the Party across spheres.

 

Notably, apart from press agencies, ministries, agencies and localities, this year’s event drew the participation of representatives from businesses, researchers and artists.

 

As many as 112 works, including 10 first, 21 second, 30 third and 51 consolation prizes, were honoured at the event./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

 

The forest protection sub-department in the northernmost mountainous province of Ha Giang in collaboration with the US’s Denver Animal Foundation celebrated the 2022 Monkey Day in the local Vi Xyen district on November 5, with a focus on promoting the conservation of the rare snub-nosed monkey.

 

The rare primate is among those most threatened with extinction in the world due to illegal hunting and deforestation-induced habitat loss. So far, the population of the langurs at the Khau Ca species and habitat conservation area in Ha Giang has grown to about 160 individuals from some 60 in 2022.

 

The celebration event treated tourists, and locals, particularly pupils, in the district’s Tung Ba commune to a series of activities like a painting contest, a lucky draw, folk games, an environmental-themed fashion show, and musical performances.

 

The sub-department and the US foundation have for years joined hands to protect snub-nosed monkeys and forest in the Khau Ca area./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

 

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on November 6 suggested adopting new mechanisms and policies on COVID-19 prevention and control, which, he said, should match the new situation.

 

Chairing a meeting of the National Steering Committee for COVID 19 Prevention and Control in Hanoi, the PM stressed that vaccination remains a strategic solution in the pandemic combat.

 

Vigilance should be maintained to prevent pandemic resurgence, he said, urging the harmonious implementation of solutions regarding social welfare, and social safety and order, as well as the programme on socio-economic recovery and development, and the COVID-19 prevention and control programme.

 

The PM asked ministries, agencies and localities to continue keeping a close watch on the pandemic situation, especially the appearance of new variants, and review the materialisation of relevant documents.

 

He urged the steering committees for COVID-19 prevention and control at the provincial level to carry forward their role in accelerating vaccination, preparing drugs, medical equipment and human resources for the fight, and the research and production of vaccines, biological products, medicines and medical equipment.

 

Obstacles relating to mechanisms, policies and procedures, especially administrative procedures in pandemic prevention and control, and socio-economic recovery and development, should be removed, Chinh emphasised.

 

The PM asked press agencies to work harder to reflect Vietnam’s performance in pandemic containment, and socio-economic recovery and development.

 

He said along with the COVID-19 fight, the Ministry of Health and other ministries, agencies and localities need to pay attention to the expanded immunisation programme and step up efforts to combat other diseases like dengue fever, hand-foot-mouth and monkeypox.

 

The Ministry of Health reported that Vietnam has recorded more than 11.5 million COVID-19 cases so far, of whom over 10.6 have recovered. The death toll reached some 43,000.

 

In October alone, the country detected 24,283 cases, down 64,8% from the previous month, with 15 deaths, down 16 cases.

 

As of November 2, the total number of doses of COVID-19 vaccines injected was over 262 million./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam’s national military training centre 4 on November 6 hosted the opening ceremony of the 30th ASEAN Armies Rifle Meet (AARM-30).

 

The event brought together ten best teams of 420 shooters from ten ASEAN member countries.

 

The tournament is set to see participants rival in the five categories of machine guns, rifles, cabin guns, men’s pistols, and women’s pistols.

 

In his opening speech, Lt. Gen. Nguyen Van Nghia, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA), highlighted the honour of Vietnam and its army in hosting the event, the first competition and exchange activity of the ASEAN armies after a nearly-2-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

With its theme focusing on cooperation for peace, the competition aims to enhance the capacity of each member country in responding to non-traditional challenges, and promoting the ASEAN Vision for peace, stability, cooperation and development, he stated.

 

Before the opening ceremony, Nghia held a reception for deputy commanders of the participating armies, with the host and guests expressing their belief in the event’s success.

 

Next year, Thailand will be the host.

 

The Vietnamese team came third at the 29th AARM-29, which was held in Bandung city, West Java province of Indonesia. The first and second places belonged to Thailand and Indonesia, respectively./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

 

 

As temperatures are plummeting to below zero degree Celsius on November 6, a thin layer of hoarfrost has covered the top of Mount Fansipan – the highest peak in Indochina – in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai.

 

Hoarfrost forms at an altitude of 3,000m and above after midnight, persisting until the early morning of the day, according to the observations of visitors.

 

Higher temperatures and the end of the rare weather phenomenon are forecast for November 7.

 

Hoarfrost is dangerous as it can cause damage to crops and livestock by inhibiting the growth and development of plants.

 

In the highlands of Lao Cai, the phenomenon often occurs during the winter months, especially in December, January and February./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

 

The Vietnam Coast Guard (VCG) and the China Coast Guard (CCG) successfully conducted their second joint patrol in 2022 in the waters adjacent to the demarcation line in the Gulf of Tonkin from November 3-5.

 

This was also the fifth of its kind after the Vietnam-China agreement on fishery cooperation in the Gulf of Tonkin expired on June 30, 2020.

 

Colonel Luong Cao Khai, Vice Commander and Chief of Staff of the Vietnam Coast Guard Region, 1 led the Vietnamese fleet. Meanwhile, the Chinese side was led by Huang Min, Director of the fourth bureau’s law enforcement department under the CCG.

 

The joint patrol took place over 13 points with 255.5 nautical miles, with a range of activities like phone talks, inspections and supervisions over fishing boats operating in the waters adjacent to the demarcation, joint exercises in search and rescue at sea, and raising the awareness of both sides’ fishermen about law observance.

 

Notably, on this occasion, the Vietnamese side established inter-sectoral working groups to supervise Vietnamese fishing boats’ observance of legal regulations and the European Commision (EC)’s recommendations on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

 

The success of the joint patrol is expected to create an impulse to boost the relations between the two Parties, States and peoples, and the coast guards in particular./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency