The Japanese Government on August 29 presented a range of medical equipment worth a total of over two billion VND to Tan Phu General Hospital in the southern province of Dong Nai.

This is part of the Japanese Government’s programme of non-refundable aid to provide remote hospitals in Vietnam with medical equipment and facilities.

The Director of Tan Phu Hospital Nguyen Thanh Quang, said that the equipment will enable the hospital to treat various diseases and illnesses for local patients.

Also on August 29, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) reviewed a project to build a community based recycling system in the Ha Long Bay area from 2009 to 2012.

The Chairman of the People’s Committee of northern Quang Ninh province, Nguyen Van Doc, said that the project has helped to educate local people about the need for environmental protection.

He pledged to continue working with the Japanese side to try and stop people living in the Ha Long Bay area from scavenging for coal and other activities that encroach upon the sea.

After three years, the volume of rubbish has been greatly reduced by recycling vast amounts into organic fertiliser. The project has also helped to raise people’s awareness of the importance of protecting the environment around Ha Long Bay.

The representative from the JICA said the agency will continue to assist Quang Ninh province in tackling environmental pollution.-VNA