Tuberculosis up in a recession

DMSc-TB FastAmp (TB-LAMP) kit (Photo: AEC Healthcare) Bangkok (VNA) - The Department of Medical Sciences (DMS) under the Thai Ministry of Public Health has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with AEC Healthcare on the transfer of DMSc-TB FastAmp (TB-LAMP) kit production technology, aiming to support tuberculosis (TB) prevention and control. DMS chief Dr Supakit Sirilak said there are at least 150 new cases of TB detected per 100,000 people every year in Thailand , citing data collected by the Department of Disease Control. This means over 105,000 new cases are found annually in the country, he noted. A fast and accurate diagnosis method can be helpful. However, the price can exceed 300 baht (8.76 USD), higher than the 200-baht subsidy provided by the National Health Security Office. Therefore, the development of the TB-LAMP kit can improve diagnosis and affordability. The kit can detect bacteria that cause TB by analysing samples using the loop mediated isothermal … [Read more...] about Thailand to produce tuberculosis test kit

A customer shops for mobile phones at a Mobile World store. For Mobile World (MWG), Q4 profit after tax dropped sharply by 60.4% year-on-year to 619 billion VND, a multi-year low. (Photo: thegioididong.com) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Retail stocks have dropped significantly due to the decline in business results in the context of the global economic recession and high interest rates. Mobile World (MWG) and Digiworld (DGW) are both hovering around the long-term bottom with a drop of more than 50% from the peak. Petrosetco (PET) has been almost flat since the beginning of February while Petrosetco Distribution JSC (PSD) is finding the bottom. This duo has dropped by 60-65% of the market price compared to their peak. The Phu Nhuan Jewelry Group (PNJ) and FPT Retail (FRT) have been struggling since the end of January. These two stocks have fallen by 16% and 38% respectively from the peak. The recent plunge in retail stocks partly came from the decline in business results. … [Read more...] about Retail stocks drop amid economic downturn and high interest rates

Vietnam’s property market is now in a state similar to that of 2013, when transactions plunged and major changes in policies were needed to ignite a "boom" in sales, said Nguyen Quoc Anh, deputy CEO of property listing platform Batdongsan. Back then the National Assembly approved changes in the land law and issued a VND30 trillion ($1.27 billion) credit package with interest rates of 5-6% annually to boost social housing sales. The decisions proved successful as transactions were resumed, he said. Similar policies are needed now, including providing new credit packages and maintaining a credit growth quota of 15-16% or even higher, Anh added. Some such policies are already being implemented. The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) recently lowered its policy rates to increase liquidity and support economic growth, signaling that a "turnaround" may be seen in the property market in the second quarter next year. In 2013 credit growth jumped from 7% to 12%, which helped boost the … [Read more...] about Property market may heat up toward the end of 2024: insiders

Health authorities in Ho Chi Minh City have reported an additional 12,000 tuberculosis (TB) patients over the past three years, on top of its annual number of 17,000-18,000 TB cases, given the support of international healthcare organizations, especially the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The figures were revealed by Nguyen Huu Hung, deputy director of the municipal Department of Health, at a free-of-charge TB health screening event held on Saturday in District 5. The event also gathered Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC and administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, along with other health officials and employees at home and abroad. Walensky discussed with healthcare workers the procedures for taking chest X-rays and returning the results to local residents, while sharing with local people the benefits of TB screening. A local healthcare worker tells Nguyen Thi Lang, an 82-year-old resident in District 5, Ho … [Read more...] about Int’l support enables Ho Chi Minh City to detect additional 4,000 TB patients annually

Stakeholders have much to say about the current state of the tourism industry, and what must be done Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a tourism recovery conference on March 15 and talked to management agencies and tourism businesses about removing obstacles for the industry to thrive once again. Despite being one of the first Southeast Asian countries to fully reopen to international tourism after the pandemic, Vietnam’s tourism industry still trails other countries in the region. The PM raised a series of questions about tourism promotion, competitive advantages, products, and visa policies – all factors that are considered to be subjective causes for Vietnam’s tourism to fail its foreign tourism targets thus far. “Tourism cannot develop alone, and tourism cannot develop if culture and the entertainment industry do not develop,” PM Chinh said. He directed the tourism industry to build green and sustainable tourism products, finance tourism activities, and develop … [Read more...] about Tourism breakthrough within reach

During her four-day visit to Vietnam, starting on March 15, to mark 25 years since the CDC Vietnam country office opened, Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) praised the partnership with Vietnam and expressed her desire to strengthen the collaboration in public health the two countries have established. Walensky said that on the first day of her visit, she signed a letter of intent with the Vietnamese Ministry of Health in which the CDC is committed to the development of a Vietnam National CDC. The coming Vietnam National CDC will enable Vietnam to coordinate its response in health emergencies with a trained workforce, a data and disease surveillance system, and a laboratory system so that it can detect a public health threat when it happens. Vietnam is linked to global health security, according to Walensky. “So much of the work that we do together is in global health security. We recognize and want to do the … [Read more...] about US CDC committed to partnership with Vietnam: director

Asian markets bounced Tuesday from the previous day's rout, with lenders boosted by easing concerns of another financial crisis, while focus turned to the Federal Reserve's policy decision later in the week. The panic that characterised trade over the past 11 days appeared to have faded after authorities in leading economies pledged support for depositors and troubled banks following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank in the United States. Still, the takeover of troubled Credit Suisse by UBS for $3.25 billion fanned concerns about what could be next on the chopping block, and analysts warned it was too early to say that the crisis was over. The move to save Credit Suisse aimed to prevent a wider crisis as it is among the 30 global banks considered "too big to fail". All three main indexes on Wall Street ended on the front foot -- with the Dow more than one percent up -- while European markets were also comfortably higher, helped by promises of … [Read more...] about Asian markets rebound as bank fears ease, Fed decision in view

Hanoi's goal for 2023 is to secure the city's socio-economic performance and further develop a cultured, modern, and civilized society. Hanoi aims to constantly improve the leadership of the Party Committee and the sense of responsibility of government officials and Party members, especially the heads of government agencies, to fulfill all the socio-economic growth tasks set for 2023. Dinh Tien Dung, Member of the Politburo and Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee, talks to Nhan Dan (People) newspaper about the plans and actions the city expects to carry out on the occasion of the 93rd anniversary of the founding of the Hanoi Party Committee. Dinh Tien Dung, Member of the Politburo and Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee. Photo: The Hanoi Times As head of the Hanoi Party Committee, could you share some of Hanoi's achievements in the first half of 2020-2025? Hanoi has endured many international impacts in the past two and a half … [Read more...] about Innovation-centered approach boosts Hanoi’s performance in socio-economic growth

Illustrative image. (Photo: news.unair.ac.id) Jakarta (VNA) – The Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries continues to boost tilapia production to meet the high global deman d for the commodity. market in 2023 alone valued at 13.9 billion USD. According to Trenggono, the fish export market remains stable and is not affected by the global recession, while the global demand for protein from fish continues to increase. Indonesia 's main aquatic export commodities include shrimp, tuna, skipjack, cuttlefish, octopus, and crabs, he said, adding that the country is keen to grab a share in the market of five main fishery commodities at the global level, namely shrimp, lobster, crab, tilapia , and seaweeds./. VNA … [Read more...] about Indonesia boosts tilapia production to meet global demand

Nguyen Hoai Phuong, CEO of Golden Trust, engages in discussion with Paul Reynish, CEO of Gong Cha Global, at the franchisee convention in Taiwan. — Photo Courtesy Gong Cha Vietnam HCM CITY — Golden Trust Company Limited, the operator of the Taiwanese bubble tea brand Gong Cha, recently announced it will open more secondary franchise stores in 2023 in Viet Nam. The announcement is part of the Gong Cha’s objective of achieving 10,000 stores in the world by 2030. Gong Cha’s goal was announced at the “Global Franchise Convention Taiwan 2023” event – a large-scale global franchise convention for the bubble tea industry with nearly 30 markets and 300 attendees. During three days, the convention discussed themes of the “Gong Cha, Go!” branding, overcoming challenges and competition, striving to achieve a customer experience in a profound way and maintaining quality through building a global supply chain system. It also approved the "Gong Cha Green" – a long-term project related to … [Read more...] about More Gong Cha franchises to be opened in Viet Nam