Da Nang city works to assist victims of Agent Orange

Da Nang (VNA) – A programme was held in the central city of Da Nang on August 9 to offer support and raise funds for victims of Agent Orange (AO) on the occasion of the 61st anniversary of the AO disaster in Vietnam (August 10, 1961).

Programme organisers, including the Da Nang Association of AO Victims and other organisations, presented gifts to 30 AO victims and disadvantaged war veterans.

They also set up a hotline at the city’s public service switchboard 1022 via which people can make text donations.

From June 14 to July 28, 221 units, organisations, and individuals made donations worth over 1.6 billion VND (68,400 USD) both in cash and in kind to the programme.

Addressing the event, Chairman of the Da Nang Association of AO Victims To Nam said the city is home to more than 5,000 AO victims, including 1,400 children, noting that the association has raised funds worth 162 billion VND in total for caring for AO victims and their families so far.

Despite difficulties amid the COVID-19 pandemic over the last two years, it has still managed to mobilise resources for building and upgrading 11 houses for AO victims, providing regular assistance for 350 victims, assisting 60 families to develop livelihoods, and granting 70 scholarships. Besides, free medical examination and treatment have been given to nearly 90 victims while nearly 15,000 gift packages handed over to victims, and 110 child victims benefited from frequent care.

He expressed his hope that local AO victims will receive more assistance from the community in the time ahead to have a better life.

According to the Vietnam Association of Victims of AO/Dioxin, the US army sprayed 80 million litres of 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 Vietnamese people were exposed to AO/dioxin, and about 3 million people became victims. Tens of thousands of people have died while millions of others have suffered from cancer and other incurable diseases as a result. Many of their offspring also suffer from birth deformities./.