Authorities, including local ones, need to increase patrolling and promote fire safety to ensure there are no major forest fires during the ongoing dry season, a meeting held to review forest protection and fire prevention heard in HCM City yesterday.

Tourism promotional campaigns in Việt Nam will be boosted with the establishment of Việt Nam Tourism Development Fund (VTDF), an official said.

Scattered investment and red tape have held back science and technology research in Việt Nam, scientists said at a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Vũ Đức Đam yesterday.

Many farmers in northern Vĩnh Phúc Province have been chopping down their đinh lăng (polyscias fruiticose) trees, a medicinal plant species, as they can’t find a consumption market although constantly reducing selling prices.

Public hospitals are facing a “brain drain” with many doctors and pharmacists moving to private health facilities attracted by their high salaries.

Hospitals in the Central Highlands province of Đắk Lắk are being improved dramatically to provide better care to locals to reduce the number of patients going to HCM City and other cities for treatment.

Periodic dialogue on occupational safety and health policies was very essential, in order to share information, to increase understanding among employers, workers, trade unions, and agencies, an official said.

Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has signed Directive 10/CT-TTg on strengthening the management of activities related to Bitcoin and other similar virtual currencies.

HCM City’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment is working with other agencies to identify polluting facilities that should be shut down or relocated to new production areas in outlying areas of the city.