Hundreds of scientists, administrators and Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin victims attended a forum to exchange experiences of rehabilitation for victims of toxic chemicals in Hanoi on May 25.

Vice President and Secretary General of the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA) Tran Xuan Thu told the two-day forum that the AO victims’ rehabilitation programme is underway in the nation.

There are three rehabilitation centres for victims of toxic chemicals in the Red River delta province of Thai Binh , the central province of Quang Ngai and the southeastern province of Dong Nai , he said.

The project has improved the quality of the victims’ life by helping them integrate into the community with rehabilitation techniques, aid facilities and knowledge on the field.

There will be 10 more centres for such victims in the near future, he noted.

Thu also highlighted active international assistance for Vietnam in this regard.

Dr Tran Trong Hai from the Rehabilitation Association said community-based rehabilitation is an effective way for people with disabilities in general and victims of toxic chemicals in particular.

It helps rehabilitate about 70-80 percent of handicapped people underlining both quality of rehabilitation and cost-effective nature of the method.

The forum heard reports on the overview of toxic chemicals’ impacts and cancers by Dr Nguyen Ba Duc from the Vietnam Anti-Cancer Association and rehabilitation for victims with physical difficulties presented by AO victims./.