Illustrative photo (Source: VNA) Tokyo (VNA) – A Japanese researcher has just announced a project on training Vietnamese health workers in addressing problems related to Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin chemical that was sprayed on the country during the war.
Japan's national broadcasting organization NHK quoted Professor Kido Teruhiko from the Kanazawa University and officials from the Japan International Cooperation Agency as saying the project will last for three years in the Vietnamese central province of Binh Dinh’s Phu Cat district.
Kido unveiled the detection of a high level of AO/dioxin contained in milk of nursing mothers in the area, adding that the rate of local underweight children is also high.
As such, he has planned to train the health workers to check the dioxin level in breast milk and provide healthcare consultations for local mothers.
The professor is experienced in studying AO/dioxin impact. He hopes to use results of his research to improve the well-being of Vietnamese people.
The US army sprayed some 80 million litres of toxic chemicals, 61 percent of which was Agent Orange containing 366 kilograms of dioxin, over nearly one quarter of the total area of South Vietnam from 1961 to 1971.
Preliminary statistics show that 4.8 million Vietnamese people were exposed to the toxic, and about 3 million became victims. Tens of thousands of people have died while millions of others have suffered from cancer and other incurable diseases as consequences of exposure. Many of their offspring have also suffered from birth deformities.-VNA
VNA
