Coast Guard Region No. 3 Command officers and Hùng Vương Hospital doctors provide free medical check-ups and consultations for fishermen as part of the five-year programme “Joining hands for fishermen’s health”. — Photos courtesy of Việt Nam Coast Guard

HCM CITY — A five-year joint programme has brought wide-ranging healthcare services, social welfare support and community outreach to tens of thousands of people in the coastal and island communities across the southern and central regions.

At a review conference last Friday, the Việt Nam Coast Guard Region No. 3 Command and Hùng Vương Hospital reported strong outcomes from their 2020–25 initiative, “Joining hands for fishermen’s health”, noting its substantial impact on improving fishermen’s access to medical care and strengthening public confidence in the Coast Guard.

Over the past five years, the programme has delivered extensive communication campaigns, medical consultations, check-ups and treatment sessions to coastal and island communities, including HCM City and the provinces of Lâm Đồng, Đồng Tháp and Vĩnh Long.

It donated 400 medicine cabinets and first-aid kits to fishing vessels, and presented 1,662 gifts to policy beneficiary families and fishermen, worth more than VNĐ1.82 billion (US$76,000).

During the COVID-19 pandemic, 31 medical staff and officers were deployed to frontline duties.

The units also provided 920 relief packages, 6,000 bottles of hand sanitiser, 45,000 masks and other essential goods to help localities overcome difficulties.

Environmental protection remained a key priority, with 6,080 volunteers joining clean-up drives that collected 20 tonnes of waste, cleared 60km of coastline and 110km of roads, and planted 1,500 trees.

Hùng Vương Hospital applied advanced medical techniques under the programme, including 3D laparoscopy, automated testing, breast cancer screening and neonatal intensive care.

Its doctors also offered gynecological check-ups for female officers and relatives of Coast Guard Region 3 personnel.

The programme strengthened community awareness and maritime safety through nearly 3,900 healthcare leaflets, 2,650 legal communication leaflets and 3,500 law education handbooks.

Nine training sessions on first aid and maritime rescue were delivered to more than 600 fishermen and students.

A total of 198 news reports and features were published by central and local media, further highlighting the programme’s humanitarian significance.

According to the two units, the programme has played an important role in improving healthcare access, promoting safe offshore fishing and reinforcing the image of the Coast Guard as “President Hồ Chí Minh’s Soldiers” dedicated to public service.

At the conference, both sides also signed an agreement to extend the programme to 2025–30 and honoured five collectives and nine individuals for outstanding contributions.

Representatives from the Coast Guard Region No. 3 Command present first aid kits and gifts to fishermen, supporting safer offshore fishing and community wellbeing.

 Strengthening Party building

The conference also reviewed the Coast Guard Region No. 3 Command’s implementation of Directive 212-CT/ĐU on the movement “Four Goods, Four Nos, Four Resistances” over the past five years, and Directive 652-CT/ĐU on ideological management and addressing requests for resignation or transfer over the past three years.

Strong leadership and synchronised measures have resulted in significant improvements in Party building, discipline, combat readiness and overall performance, according to the Command’s Party Committee.

The unit developed action plans tailored to their conditions and ensured that all officers and Party members were thoroughly briefed. Key tasks were incorporated into Party resolutions, cell meetings, performance assessments and emulation movements aligned with studying and following President Hồ Chí Minh’s example.

Over the past five years, it conducted 865 patrol and mobile missions covering more than 354,400 nautical miles.

These operations helped protect national sovereignty, combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and maintain maritime security.

The unit handled 67 violations involving 69 vessels and 210 individuals, imposing fines of more than VNĐ6.5 billion ($271,000) and confiscating goods worth over VNĐ65 billion ($2.7 million).

It also supported 75 drug-related cases and directly initiated prosecutions in 29 of them.

In search and rescue efforts, it responded to 44 incidents, saving 333 fishermen and recovering seven bodies, while assisting vessels in distress under challenging conditions.

Directive implementation has also strengthened ideological education and reporting, and political and legal study sessions.

Thirty-six democratic dialogues were held to address officers’ concerns, helping maintain internal unity and stability.

The unit continued to maintain strict daily routines and improved living conditions.

Social welfare activities were actively promoted, with 56 programmes providing 18,463 gifts, 664 scholarships, 510 bicycles and 62,065 national flags, along with 1,220cu.m of freshwater for drought-affected areas, totalling more than VNĐ22.8 billion ($950,000).

Twenty-four “I Love the Homeland’s Sea and Islands” contests attracted more than 176,000 students.

Grassroots initiatives such as the “Psychological and Legal Counselling Team”, “Smoke-Free Youth Union”, “One-Thousand-Đồng House” and “Piggy Bank Saving Fund” continued to support officers and soldiers.

These achievements demonstrate strong Party leadership and the determination of all officers and soldiers, forming a solid foundation for building a capable and disciplined unit ready to fulfill all assigned tasks. — VNS