Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan has said that Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh would chair a meeting of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control this weekend to deliberate the downgrading of COVID-19 from its current placement in Class A infectious diseases down to Class B. Lan told the National Assembly that on May 29 that the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced that COVID-19 no longer constituted a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, the designation that was attached to the viral disease more than three years ago, but the pandemic is not over yet. In accordance with the guidance of the Government leader, the Ministry of Health was also coordinating with other ministries and agencies to review the legal regulations, consult the experience of other countries, and review practical measures for the prevention and control of COVID-19 in Vietnam, Lan noted. The Ministry … [Read more...] about Vietnam to consider downgrading COVID-19 to flu-like status
7 surprising health benefits of drinking gin
Vietnamese Government urged to ban e-cigarettes
Vietnam has the 15th largest population of smokers in the world, and approximately 40,000 people die each year from diseases caused by smoking. National lawmakers have called on the Government to ban all e-cigarette products in Vietnam soon, citing health concerns. A no-smoking sign is labeled at a bookstore in Hanoi. Photo: Văn Sinh/The Hanoi Times The Government should amend the Law on Tobacco Harm Prevention and related regulations to stop the trade, circulation and use of e-cigarettes in Vietnam, Hanoi deputy Nguyen Anh Tri said on June 1. All these actions should be dealt with under the Penal Code, he said. Tri said new generations of cigarette products, including e-cigarettes, may contain illegal drugs and cause severe damage to people's health. However, he said, hardly anything was done to prevent these products from adversely affecting society. He called on the government to reduce the smoking rate to 30% by 2030. "The Government needs … [Read more...] about Vietnamese Government urged to ban e-cigarettes
Chinese teen starves herself to death after crush chooses thinner girl
The girl, identified by the pseudonym Xiaoling, had been diagnosed with severe anorexia nervosa and passed away after more than 20 days in a deep coma, South China Morning Post reported Wednesday. She was trying to gain the attention and affection of a boy she had a crush on, who had reportedly fallen for a girl thinner than her. A girl drinking water. Illustration photo by Unsplash After going for 50 days from January to mid-March consuming nothing but water, Xiaoling fell into unconsciousness and was hospitalized. "She is as light as a quilt. We are not sure if she can regain consciousness," an unnamed doctor said in the video documenting Xiaoling’s treatment, which went viral on social media. The situation lasted for 20 days before her parents came to the heartbreaking decision to stop the treatment and let her go. Chinese netizens were left questioning the country’s rigorous beauty standards. … [Read more...] about Chinese teen starves herself to death after crush chooses thinner girl
World Bank approves 176-million-USD fisheries project in Philippines
Illustrative image. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - The World Bank (WB) on May 31 approved a 176-million-USD loan to fund a fisheries project that aims to improve fisheries management, enhance the value of fisheries production , and raise income s for coastal communities in the Philippines. The project is expected to benefit more than 1.5 million fisherfolk, small-to-medium businesses, and residents in coastal communities, the multilateral lender said in a statement. According to the WB, the fisheries sector contributes 1.3% to the Southeast Asian country's gross domestic product. It provides approximately 1.6 million jobs, or around 4% of the labour force, including for low-income families engaged in subsistence fishing. However, the sector has faced challenges, with fish stocks declining by an average of 20% over the past decade due to over-exploitation, destructive fishing methods, habitat degradation, and negative impacts from land-based activities. This … [Read more...] about World Bank approves 176-million-USD fisheries project in Philippines
Nghe An elderly woman needs help to support disabled son
An elderly woman in the central province of Nghe An's Quynh Luu District is in desperate need of help to support her disabled son. Ho Thi Van and her disabled son Nguyen Ba Cuong Ho Thi Van, 78, said that she has three sons who all have weak health caused by Agent Orange that she might have been exposed to when joining the American War during the 1960s. While the eldest Nguyen Ba Hung, 49, and the youngest Nguyen Ba Phuong, 38, have better health condition, her second son Nguyen Ba Cuong, 47, suffers serious amyotrophia and only weighs nearly 10 kilos. "I was not afraid of death while joining the war, but now I'm afraid of it," Van said. "I want to live to take care of my disabled son. However, my left eye has gone blind and my right eye also has poor sight. Now I can only do some light housework." According to the mother, Cuong was born ailing and has had to depend on others for all daily activities. Her husband died many years ago, and she has raised three … [Read more...] about Nghe An elderly woman needs help to support disabled son
Symposium urges youths to quit smoking
Illustrative image (Photo: AFP) Hanoi (VNA) - The Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU), the Health Ministry’s Fund for Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms and the Global Public Health Organisation Vital Strategies held a symposium in Hanoi on May 31 to discuss the harmful effects of e-cigarettes in schools. The event attracted the participation of over 600 students from the Hanoi University of Industry. They had a chance to join a mini-game to learn about the detrimental effects of e-cigarettes. Nguyen Tuan Lam, an expert in non-communicable disease prevention at the World Health Organisation (WHO)'s office in Vietnam cited data from the WHO as saying that there are currently about 20,000 flavorings in e-cigarettes, many of which are yet to be fully evaluated for health hazards. Nguyen Thi Thu Huong from the fund also warned that e-cigarettes could contain drugs that cause addiction, especially among young people. She said the … [Read more...] about Symposium urges youths to quit smoking
Nanny held for abusing one-month-old baby in Hanoi
Police in Hanoi have temporarily detained a home helper and baby caretaker for the investigation into her suspected abuse of a one-month-old girl in an apartment in Hoang Mai District. V.K.C., 21, was held on Wednesday afternoon, when the baby’s father escorted her to the police office of the district’s Hoang Liet Ward, police officers said. The dad, N.V.B., 31, a resident at the HH2C Linh Dam apartment building, told police that he had discovered C.’s abuse against his little girl after he watched the surveillance camera installed in the baby’s bedroom. As recorded in the footage, C. committed the child abuse at about 2:00 am on Wednesday, B. reported. The father said he had hired C., hailing from northern Nam Dinh Province, as a domestic helper and nanny since his wife suffered bad health conditions after childbearing. Before C.’s detention, a video clip was spread on social media showing a woman sitting on a bed, holding up a baby in her arms and shaking the baby … [Read more...] about Nanny held for abusing one-month-old baby in Hanoi
Roche shares insights on healthcare trends at Roche Innovation Day 2023
A panel discussion at the Roche Innovation Day 2023 in Viet Nam. — Photo courtesy of the company Roche Vietnam has collaborated with the Ho Chi Minh City Association of Clinical Biochemistry to host the Roche Innovation Day 2023 in Viet Nam, an event to showcase its advanced diagnostic solutions accompanying crucial healthcare trends in Asia Pacific. The event features inspirational and concrete best practices from prestigious hospitals in APAC and Roche Global that highlight key learnings in improving lab performance, clinical practices, and healthcare system efficiency that impact greatly patient outcomes. Over 300 hospital directors, laboratory leaders, healthcare professionals, and associations across the country participated in the event. Roche Innovation Day 2023 is an opportunity for leading healthcare professionals in the region to discuss five critical trends shaping the industry landscape in the coming years, including patient-centric care; data-driven care; … [Read more...] about Roche shares insights on healthcare trends at Roche Innovation Day 2023