Category: General

HCM City: More than 1,300 healthcare professionals joined a Women's Health Summit in southern Vietnam in April to update on health matters spanning across a woman's life. The annual event, organized by Abbott, the global healthcare company, has the biggest turnaround since the pre-pandemic gathering in 2019, marking another milestone in the company's efforts to improve access to women's health care in Vietnam. Awareness of the women's role in the society and their health care has been elevated in recent years in the Southeast Asian nation with one of Asia's fastest-growing economies as the government seeks ways to expand women's access to health care services. With more women joining the labor force, the health authorities have introduced more incentives to allow them to better control their health. Vietnamese female laborers last year edged up 1.2% from 2022 to 24.47 million, accounting for around a quarter of the country's population, based on government statistics. Given up to 90% of Vietnamese women s uffer from gynecological-related diseases as per Health Ministry data, the ministry last year revised a 2013 circular to allow female laborers to get gynecological examinations and screened for cervical cancer and breast cancer during regular health check-up. The ministry has pledged it would further focus on improving maternal and child health and reproductive health in 2024. At the Abbott-hosted summit held on April 14 in Ho Chi Minh City, health experts discussed key issues closely related to women's health, including endometriosis, fertility support and menopause. The event trailed a regional meeting in late March, the Asia Pacific Women's Health Summit, to which Abbott brought together over 1,100 foreign and Vietnamese experts to discuss perspectives in obstetric and gynecological management. The events are part of Abbott's continuous works to share with healthcare professionals' approaches and solutions in women's healthcare, contributing to reducing the proven health disparities. Partnership for b etter care Abbott has been partnering with global and Vietnamese organizations to help address the challenges in women's specific health needs at every stage of their lives, such as dealing with endometriosis pain, fertility problems, or physical and emotional changes relating to menopause. Work with key partners ranges from driving clinical trials and enhancing professional development in healthcare to providing education to improve women and family healthcare. Abbott and Tam Anh Hospital are conducting a nationwide clinical study on assisted reproduction, the first women's health clinical trial to be done by the hospital. The study is expected to bring about Vietnam-relevant insights towards an effective and convenient treatment alternative with positive outcomes compared to traditional therapies. On another development, Abbott teams up with the World Endometriosis Society and the Vietnam Association of Gynecology and Obstetrics to update the national treatment guidelines for the disease with upcoming m edical trainings for healthcare professionals across the country for earlier diagnosis and more effective treatment. Besides, Abbott has partnered with the Vietnam Women's Union for over a decade to expand healthcare and nutrition education across the country. The program has raised public awareness about healthcare to help improve the well-being of women and children, and establish family health. Established in 1888, Abbott has pledged to help people live more fully at all stages of life. Since its 1995 arrival in Vietnam, the company has been working with the authorities, partners and stakeholders to improve access to women's health care so that women can take charge of their health and live their healthiest lives. Given Vietnam's success in post-pandemic recovery, its open policies towards enterprises and potential for further development, Abbott will continue its long-term investment in the country, Robert Ford, Abbott's Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, told Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at a Hanoi meeting in August 2023./. Source: Vietnam News Agency

Ninh Binh: A series of activities will be held in the northern province of Ninh Binh on the occasion of the five-day holiday of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day (April 30) and May Day (May 1) from April 27 to May 1. One of the events that residents and tourists are looking forward to will be the 10th anniversary of the Trang An Landscape Complex's UNESCO recognition as a World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site. A grand ceremony to mark this anniversary is scheduled to take place on April 26 evening. On this occasion, tourists to Ninh Binh can attend the Trang An Festival, also held on April 26, during which they will have a chance to experience the local culture and river rituals. Sports lovers can take part in the cycling for a green environment on April 27, and the 'Dau an Di san 2024' (Heritage Imprint) Marathon on April 28 on the Trang An-Bai Dinh heritage route. The events are expected to see 1,000-1,500 participants. Those who love traditional arts will have opportunities to immerse themselves in water puppetry performances, folk songs, and a space to experience the culture of a typical village in the north in Hoa Lu ancient town. Tran Thi Diep Anh from the Hoa Lu ancient town management board said that besides regular activities, a special art programme named 'Ruc ro Hoa Lu' (Colourful Hoa Lu) will be held on April 30 evening, drawing the participation of more than 100 artists, including famous ones like singer My Tam. It will be open for free to local residents and tourists who can also watch firework displays. The provincial Tourism Department has sent a document to the management boards of tourism sites and accommodation service establishments to increase the quality of services, take concerted measures to ensure safety for tourists such as guaranteeing conditions for tourism business; and strictly implementing conditions on fire and explosion prevention, environmental sanitation, and food hygiene and safety. It is also necessary to publicise prices and avoid raising p rices and enticing or forcing tourists to buy food, the department stressed. It said it will also coordinate with the Ninh Binh Tourism Association to mobilise and encourage local hotels to have policies to support service prices for delegations, people, and tourists on this occasion, thus contributing to promoting the image of the land and friendly and hospitable people of Ninh Binh to domestic and international friends. Ninh Binh is striving to welcome 7.5 million tourists this year. The Trang An Landscape Complex, which was honoured by UNESCO as a World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site in 2014, covers a total area of 6,226 hectares within the Trang An limestone massif and is surrounded by a 6,026-ha buffer zone which is mostly made up of rural land with rice paddy fields. The site spans across 20 communes and wards in five districts and cities of Ninh Binh, comprising the Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, the Trang An-Tam Coc-Bich Dong Scenic Landscape, and the Hoa Lu Special-Use Forest./. Source: Vietnam Ne ws Agency

Hanoi: The Vietnam Academy of Blockchain and AI Innovation (ABAII) made its debut on April 24 at the annual forum on Blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI). The ABAII aims to train and universalise Blockchain technology and AI for 1 million people. In particular, about 100,000 students at 30 universities across the country will be equipped with the latest knowledge on this field through various activities such as workshops, training courses, programming competitions (hackathon), idea creation competitions (ideathon), and the 2024 university tour programme (Unitour 2024). Dao Trung Thanh, ABAII deputy director, shared that the Unitour has been held at five universities in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang city over the past two months, bringing useful knowledge on the applications of blockchain and AI according to the needs and desires of each university with topics of interest such as digital economy and finance, banking data analysis, and career opportunities. On this occasion, the academy also g ave five universities with 50 scholarships each to promote the universalisation of Blockchain and AI among the Vietnamese technology students./. Source: Vietnam News Agency

Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, has expressed his concern over the globalisation of culture which may confuse young people. At a get-together and a solidarity dinner with Cambodian artistes held at Koh Pich Convention and Exhibition Centre in Phnom Penh this evening, the Premier urged for attention to the cultural globalisation which may make the younger generations confused between foreign culture and their own culture. 'We have heard of Hollywood and K-pop that have spread to many countries, including Cambodia. The acceptance by individuals, especially young people, of these 'global cultures' have further blurred the cultural boundaries and understanding of countries, which could endanger their traditions and culture,' Samdech Thipadei said. 'If young people from one generation to another do not fully understand these boundaries, then there could be more confusion and risks to the culture and traditions of our country,' he added. Samdech Thipadei Hun Ma net called on all stakeholders to work together to prevent the problem and promote the cultural and traditional preservation so that the younger generations understand well which one belongs to the nation, which one does not. Samdech Thipadei Prime Minister also expressed his support for creativity by combining local culture with the foreign culture with clear national identity. Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse

The bilateral relations between Cambodia and Japan are cordial and based on common value, mutual respect, trust, and mutual benefits. The remark was made by Samdech Moha Rathsapheathika Thipadei KHOUN Sudary, President of the National Assembly (NA) of Cambodia, while she was joining a dinner with H.E. UENO Atsushi, Ambassador of Japan to Cambodia, at the Ambassador's Residence in Phnom Penh on April 24. On the occasion, both sides discussed and exchanged views on political sector, women in decision making in areas of politics, education, information affair, trade, industry, investment, and geo-political situation both in the region and the world. The NA President took the opportunity to thank the Government and people of Japan for their support to Cambodia through financial, infrastructure, technical and human resource assistance. For his part, H.E. UENO Atsushi praised Cambodia's progress in all sectors, from the peace-seeking period, then the country's reconstruction process until the current full peace , political stability and development. Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse

Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet this afternoon expressed his profound thanks to all artistes for their devotion to the preservation of culture and traditions. 'All artistes have played important role as the goodwill ambassadors for the Kingdom on the international scene in all circumstances,' he underlined at a get-together and solidarity dinner with Cambodian artistes here at Koh Pich Convention and Exhibition Centre. Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet expressed his congratulations to all masterpieces of arts and movies who have received awards at different international events. With the achievements and key role of artistes, the Royal Government does not hesitate to confer the national honorary medals upon some artistes who have devoted to the conservation of national culture and promotion of the national civilisation. Minister of Culture and Fine Arts H.E. Mrs. Phoeurng Sackona said that in order to encourage the artistes who have contributed to the preservation, promotion and develo pment of Cambodian arts and culture, the ministry has requested a total of 2,133 medals for living heritage and artistes of all forms. Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse

Hanoi: The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) announced a series of events focusing on digital transformation in the banking sector, scheduled for May 8 in Hanoi. This initiative aligns with the goals of the National Digital Transformation Programme until 2025, with a vision to 2030, aiming to propel Vietnam towards a digital economy and society, said Director General of the SBV's Payment Department Pham Anh Tuan at a press conference in Hanoi on April 25. A thematic seminar will be held for the first time, featuring presentations by leading financial and technology experts from giants such as Google, IBM, Fidelity, SAP, which will be a significant highlight. Attendees can also explore 16 exhibition booths showcasing the latest products, services and technologies from banks, payment intermediaries and technology companies. From 2020-2022, the SBV consistently ranked high among ministries and agencies in the digital institutional index. As of now, about 77.41% of Vietnamese adults have bank accounts, with over 3 5 million payment accounts and about 14.9 million cards opened through the electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) method currently operational. The year 2023 saw a surge in mobile payment transactions, with a 59.86% increase in volume and a 12.73% increase in value. QR code payments also experienced explosive growth, with a 242.46% increase in volume and a 157.2% rise in value compared to the previous year. The first two months of this year recorded significant year-on-year growth in non-cash payment and digital banking activities, with non-cash payment transactions rising by 59.6% in volume and 32.73% in value. Internet banking transactions also saw impressive growth, increasing by 51.60% in volume and 23.88% in value. Mobile banking transactions followed suit, surging by 63.24% in volume and 33.43% in value. QR code payments continued their dominance, with a phenomenal 846.41% increase in volume and a staggering 1,146.14% increase in value./. Source: Vietnam News Agency

HCM City: A centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) in Ho Chi Minh City is scheduled to be officially launched in September, with a mission to be Vietnam's top facility in advising national industrial policies, piloting their implementation in the southern metropolis, and promoting economic transformation in the revolution. The information was unveiled at a workshop on the C4IR held in the city on April 25. The facility, the second of its kind in Southeast Asia and the 19th worldwide, is expected to be located in the Saigon Hi-Tech Park. It is established as part of cooperation between the Vietnamese Government and the World Economic Forum (WEF) for 2023-2026 and under a deal signed between the chairman of the municipal People's Committee and WEF leader earlier this year. Vice Chairman of the HCM City People's Committee Vo Van Hoan expressed his hope that the centre will become a platform not only for the city but also for the entire country to shape the development of Fourth Industrial Revolutio n strategies in line with the overall national development strategy, contributing to the global trajectory of technological advancement. Manju George, heading the strategic impact and integration platform at WEF, noted that the C4IR in the city will benefit from the synergy of leading Vietnamese technology enterprises and leverage the knowledge and experience of the global C4IR network to provide support, advice, proposals, and recommendations for solutions, policies, and initiatives in line with Vietnam's directions and international technology trends. Kim Byoungho, Chairman of the Board of Directors of HDBank - a founding member of the C4IR in HCM City, said that its establishment is a significant step forward, contributing to creating breakthrough momentum towards the goal of developing HCM City into a modern industrial service city, as well as a hub for economy, finance, commerce, science-technology, and culture in the region./. Source: Vietnam News Agency