Individuals receive certificates of merit for their dedicated efforts to help AO/dioxin victims at a ceremony to commemorate the 62nd anniversary of the dioxin disaster in Việt Nam on Monday. VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — Thousands of people will participate in a charity walk to support victims of Agent Orange/dioxin at Đầm Sen Cultural Park in HCM City on August 12.

The event is one of the activities organised by the Việt Nam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin’s HCM City chapter to commemorate the 62nd anniversary of the dioxin disaster in Việt Nam.

Speaking at a ceremony held on Monday, Major General Trần Ngọc Thổ, chairman of the association’s HCM City chapter, said since its inception in 2005, the chapter has carried out many charity programmes to mobilise funds to care for and support AO/dioxin victims

It mobilised nearly VNĐ8.5 billion (US$356,500) and supported a total of 8,783 AO victims in the first six months of this year, Thổ said.

AO victims face many difficulties in their lives and they need more support and care from the community to relieve their pain, he said.

At the ceremony, the association called on individuals and organisations to join hands to provide healthcare services and improve living conditions for AO/dioxin victims.

It awarded certificates of merit for 74 individuals for their dedicated efforts to help AO/dioxin victims.

More than 4.8 million Vietnamese were exposed to the toxin and more than 3 million were victims. —VNS