Society

More attention paid to AO/dioxin victims: official

Deputy Defence Minister Sen. Lieut. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien visited and presented gifts to those staying at the Hanoi centre for caring, nurturing and treating victims of Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin in Ba Vi suburban district on August 6, on the occasion of the 63rd anniversary of the Day for AO/dioxin Victims (August 10).

Delegates visits AO/dioxin victims (Photo: VNA)
Delegates visits AO/dioxin victims (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Defence Minister Sen. Lieut. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien visited and presented gifts to those staying at the Hanoi centre for caring, nurturing and treating victims of Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin in Ba Vi suburban district on August 6, on the occasion of the 63rd anniversary of the Day for AO/dioxin Victims (August 10).

Also attending the event were Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Huu Chinh, Chairman of the Vietnam Association for Victims of AO/Dioxin, and US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper.

Chien, who is also head of the standing board of the National Steering Committee on Overcoming Post-War Unexploded Ordnance and Toxic Chemical Consequences, highly valued the efforts by the centre’s leaders and staff, saying he hopes that they will overcome all difficulties and better the work of caring for dioxin victims.

He affirmed that over the past time, the implementation of policies and the improvement of health care and living conditions for these victims have received due attention from the Party, State, Government, ministries, and local authorities, as well as support from both domestic citizens and international friends. These works have seen a lot of commendable improvements.

The official requested the steering committee to work closely and effectively with relevant agencies and units to ensure timely and increasingly practical support for AO victims. He also proposed the US, especially the US Agency for International Development (USAID), make its utmost efforts alongside Vietnam to effectively implement projects that improve the quality of life for these victims.

Ambassador Marc Knapper emphasised that cooperation in addressing post-war consequences is one of the basic elements for the US and Vietnam to build trust, demonstrate their commitments, and advance their bilateral relationship to become a comprehensive strategic partnership as it is today.

He expressed his belief that with efforts for the common interests, the two countries will continue to overcome the history and build a better future for the victims of Agent Orange/dioxin.

Vietnam has about 4.8 million people exposed to AO/dioxin, of them about 3.2 million victims, living in all provinces and cities./.

VNA
#Deputy Defence Minister Sen. Lieut. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien #AO/dioxin victims #US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper #Vietnam #VietnamPlus #Vietnam News Agency
Follow VietnamPlus

Human rights

Related News

More than 5,000 people join in a walk in support of AO/dioxin victims on the occasion of the Action Month for Victims of AO/Dioxin in August 2023. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam perseveres in seeking justice for Agent Orange/dioxin victims

Despite the three previous rejections by courts in the US, the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/ Dioxin (VAVA) is suing US chemical companies that supported the US military to spray AO/dioxin in Vietnam during wartime, VAVA Vice President Maj. Gen. Nguyen Hong Son said on July 30.

See more

A young volunteer donates blood during the 2026 Red Sunday programme. (Photo: VNA)

Nearly 5,000 people join blood donation campaign in Ho Chi Minh City

According to health authorities, Vietnam collected nearly 1.75 million units of blood in 2025, with 98% from volunteer donors, equivalent to around 1.75% of the population participating in blood donation. Large-scale campaigns such as Red Sunday have played a key role in achieving these results.

More than 30 kilogrammes of various drugs trafficked from Cambodia to HCM City were seized in a police operation in March 2025. (Photo: VNA)

Ho Chi Minh City aims to become drug free by 2030

Every commune, ward or residential area in Ho Chi Minh City is expected to meet official drug-free standards by the end of 2029, while schools, hospitals, government offices, businesses and social organisations across the city are to remain free of drug activity.

Military forces take a resident from a flooded area. Photo: VNA

Da Nang, Oxfam join hands to support flood victims

In the coming time, the Da Nang Red Cross Society will continue to coordinate with Oxfam to implement support activities in Nong Son commune, helping residents overcome difficulties and stabilise their livelihoods.

Training on response to reservoir incidents (Photo: VNA)

Central Civil Defence Fund established to bolster disaster response

The Central Civil Defence Fund is authorised to receive, manage and use voluntary contributions from domestic and foreign entities and individuals, plus transfers from provincial civil defence funds in line with the PM’s decisions and allocations from relevant state financial sources outside the state budget, all earmarked for incident and disaster response and recovery efforts.

Vietnamese women shine in the traditional Ao dai (Photo: VNA)

March shines with elegance of “Ao dai”

In early March, scenes of women in flowing Ao dai taking spring photos by lakes, parks, offices, temples and historical sites have become a familiar sight on the streets of Hanoi. Social media is also filled with images and stories surrounding the elegant attire, which has become a symbolic signal of the season dedicated to honouring women.

Hanoi voters learn about candidates’ biographies and action programmes. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi thoroughly prepares for NA, People’s Council election

According to the municipal Election Committee, the capital city has established election committees in 126 communes and wards. In addition, 11 electoral boards for National Assembly deputies, 31 electoral boards for the city-level People’s Council, 831 commune-level electoral boards and more than 4,000 polling teams have been set up to serve the election process.

Artisan Vu Van Vinh from Chuyen My commune introduces to visitors a set of mother of pearl inlaid lacquer furniture including a platform bed, tea cabinet, and lacquered horizontal boards and parallel sentences made by his family, worth more than 3 billion VND. (Photo: VNA)

Four Hanoi craft villages join global creative crafts network

The recognition is not only a source of pride for the capital but also creates opportunities to promote these craft villages globally, strengthen international connections, and support their sustainable development in the process of global integration.

Vietnamese women affirm growing role in national economy

Vietnamese women affirm growing role in national economy

Vietnamese women have long been an indispensable force in the country’s socio-economic development. Today, they are present across a wide spectrum of economic activities, from production, trade and small-scale services to innovative start-ups, collective economic development, the digital economy, green growth, the circular economy and financial inclusion.

Voters study information of candidates to the 16th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels in the 2026-2031 tenure. (Photo published by VNA)

K’Ho ethnic minority group in Lam Dong province looks forward to Election Day

Lac Duong commune is a remote locality largely inhabited by the K’Ho ethnic minority in Lam Dong. The commune has 15 villages with more than 14,000 residents in 3,119 households and 8,799 registered voters. Given that residents live scattered along National Highway 27C and that the area’s mountainous terrain makes travel difficult, local authorities have prepared plans to organise the election smoothly.

Officers of the Vietnam Coast Guard Region 2 Command step up communications efforts to encourage fishermen to comply with anti-IUU fishing regulations. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam Coast Guard Region 2 intensifies efforts to help remove IUU fishing “yellow card”

According to Colonel Truong Ba Long, Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of the Vietnam Coast Guard Region 2 Command, the close integration of efforts to combat IUU fishing with routine patrol and control activities to safeguard maritime sovereignty, prevent smuggling and trade fraud, fight drug-related crimes, and conduct search and rescue operations constitutes a regular task of the unit.