Conference applauds latest scientific success stories

HCM CITY (VNS)— A product made with the leaves and seeds of the Neem (Nimba) tree that can kill mosquitoes has proved effective in fighting malaria and petechial fever.

This was one of several successful projects that the city's Department of Science and Technology implemented last year, a review conference heard on Tuesday.

The department approved 104 new science and technology projects last year, prepared and submitted three project proposals under the National Rural and Mountainous Areas Programme, and oversaw the completion of 82 projects.

The national programme supports the application of scientific and technological advances to serve socio-economic development in rural areas for the 2011-2015 period.

By the end of last year, the department had used VND127.8 billion or 67.21 per cent of its approved budget. Of this, VND38 billion was spent on scientific research.

Le Manh Ha, Deputy Chairman of the HCM City People's Committee, said the department needs to speed up several activities that it has not been able to complete last year, including checking the effectiveness of research centres.

It should expand its programme to support enterprises in applying the latest developments in science and technology, and strengthen co-ordination between research centres and universities to come up with long-term solutions for major problems facing the city, like flooding and traffic congestion, he said. — VNS