Tuyên Quang kids get free health checks, surgeries

TUYÊN QUANG — Hundreds of children in the northern mountainous province of Tuyên Quang have benefited from free medical check-ups and surgeries under a programme jointly carried out by the Việt Nam Association of Paediatric Surgeons (VNAPS), the Nhịp Cầu Yêu Thương (Spans of Love) Group, and the provincial General Hospital.

Following check-ups on Monday, 40 children with various defects were offered free surgery right at the hospital, saving travel costs for their families.
VNAPS President Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Thanh Liêm said the programme was joined by 40 doctors, nurses and volunteers from the association and local hospitals.
The programme will also help train staff of the Tuyên Quang General Hospital in new treatments and techniques, Liêm said.

Experts discuss ways to tackle Aedes mosquito diseases

HÀ NỘI — Around 130 experts from Việt Nam, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia met in Hà Nội on Monday to discuss strategies to tackle dengue fever and other diseases transmitted by the Aedes mosquito in the ASEAN region.

The two-day symposium on integrated arboviral disease management, prevention and control was a collaborative effort by the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) to mark ASEAN Dengue Day on June 15.

“Việt Nam and other Southeast Asian nations like Thailand, Laos and Cambodia are tropical countries in the endemic region of many dangerous arbovirus diseases, including Aedes mosquito-borne diseases like Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF), Zika and Chikungunya,” Deputy Minister of Health Nguyễn Thanh Long said at the event.

Arlyne Beeche, IDRC’s senior programme officer, said his agency is committed to supporting researchers apply new knowledge towards improving public health. “Effective integrated interventions can be cost beneficial, as long as the public is aware and engaged. We need to improve our understanding of the synergistic impact of integrating current and new technologies,” Beeche said.

During the two-day event which concluded yesterday, participants also discussed diagnosis and treatment; vector monitoring and prevention; viral and vaccine studies for the community; and sustainable cooperation among nations and international organisations.

Infectious diseases spread in Đắk Lắk

ĐẮK LẮK – Abnormal weather changes in the last several months have sparked an increase in many infectious diseases like dengue fever, diarrhea and hand, foot and mouth disease, according to the Preventive Healthcare Centre in the Tây Nguyên (Central Highlands) province of Đắk Lắk.

Sin the beginning of June alone, the centre has admitted more than 20 patients with dengue fever every week, bringing the total number of people infected with the disease to nearly 600.

The number of people infected with hand, foot and mouth disease also reached 410 in the first five months of the year, double the increase during the same period last year.

Those suffering from diarrhea increased to more than 3,000 since the beginning of the year.

Most of the infectious disease cases were found in Buôn Ma Thuột City and the districts of Buôn Đôn, Krông Bông and Krông Năng, the centre reported.

Healthcare authorities in the province, particularly the Preventive Healthcare Centre, were making all efforts to mitigate the situation by asking residents to maintain hygienic living conditions, take adequate medicines and get themselves vaccinated as needed. -- VNS