At the event (Photo: VNA) It featured art performances, reportages, and exchanges withdomestic and international individuals who have made contributions tothe remediation of the hazardous chemical and support for AO victims.
The event aimed to raise public awareness on the matters and honourvictims who have made great efforts to overcome harsh circumstances as well asindividuals and organisations in Vietnam and abroad with significantcontributions to the alleviation of the disaster consequences.
President of the VietnamAssociation of Victims of Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin (VAVA) Nguyen Van Rinh saidthe Party and State have paid attention to difficulties facing the victims andissued many policies to assist them.
Every year, dozens of trillion VND is spent onhelping revolutionary contributors, resistance fighters infected with toxicchemicals, and their children and grandchildren suffering from AO consequences, henoted.
Concerted efforts from the society in aid of the victims are needed, Rinh said, calling on the US Government and people as well as internationalorganisations to further support Vietnam in its efforts toward related chemical remediationand pain relief.
According to VAVA, the US army sprayed 80 million litresof toxic chemicals on the south of Vietnam between 1961 and 1971, with 61%being AO containing 366kg of dioxin, on over nearly 3.06 million hectares(equivalent to nearly one quarter of the south’s total area).
Preliminary statistics showed that 4.8 million Vietnamesepeople were exposed to AO/dioxin, and about 3 million people became victims.Tens of thousands of people have died while millions of others have sufferedfrom cancer and other incurable diseases as a result. Many of their offsprings also suffer from birth deformities./.
VNA
