* On July 28, a delegation of the Military Region 5 Command, led by its Deputy Commander Major General Nguyen Dinh Tien, worked with Khanh Hoa province’s Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, the provincial Health Department, and military units to inspect their preparations for the Field Hospital for Infectious Diseases No.4 run by the Defense Ministry. Previously, hundreds of troops from the provincial military command and medical staff from Military Hospital 87, from July 25 to 28, sprayed disinfectants and cleaned the whole field hospital, as well as prepared necessary facilities, medical equipment, etc. to put the hospital into operation at any time. The 500-bed hospital is ready to receive soldiers and people infected with COVID-19 for treatment. * In the same day, Ho Chi Minh City will offer calls free of charge to switchboard 1022, which provides COVID-19 prevention and control-related information, according to the city's Information and Communications …
Application for Australia’s Direct Aid Program 2017-18 opens
Small grants of up to AUD 60,000 (USD 47,000) are available to NGOs, community groups and other non-profit organizations to undertake small-scale development projects focusing on the economic empowerment of disadvantaged communities and groups. In the year 2017-18, Hanoi DAP will prioritize higher value projects and projects which take an innovative approach to a longstanding development challenge. DAP is a small-grant program funded by Australia’s foreign aid budget. It has the flexibility to work with local communities in developing countries on projects that reduce poverty and achieve sustainable development consistent with Australia’s national interest. DAP projects cover a range of sectors, such as education, health, water and sanitation, environmental protection, women’s empowerment and gender equality, supporting people with disabilities, economic livelihoods, food security and human rights. The DAP in Northern Vietnam is an extremely competitive program. Applications …
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HCMC makeshift market a lifeline amid Covid-19 restrictions
The makeshift market has 11 stations stretched out an area of 40 square meters. Each station is placed around five meters apart and sells various grocery items including meat, fish, vegetables and fruits. Due to the ongoing social distancing order, residents of the Phuoc Vinh An Commune cannot travel to a different area to buy food. "The commune has no traditional market, so we had to erect one on a football field to meet people's demands," said Nguyen Hong Tam, deputy chairwoman of the commune. As early as 5:30 a.m., hundreds of residents lined up to purchase food. Before entering the market, they had to make medical declarations and have their body temperatures checked. Only seven people could go to the market area at a time. Vendors at the market must have tested negative for the coronavirus within three days of setting up their stall. The stalls had plastic screens, tapes and hand sanitizers as …
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Angsana Lang Co Family vacation at its best
When staying in one of the Angsana Skypool Lofts, you will wake up to stunning views. Relax on the timber sun deck by your infinity pool after a full day of exploring one of three astonishing UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the area – The Imperial Citadel of Hue, Hoi An Ancient Town and My Son Sanctuary. Bask in the tropical sun on the exclusive Canh Duong beach or enjoy one of many activities for sports lovers that the Angsana Lang Co resort offers: Go on jungle hikes, ride the waves of the East Sea, or have fun with water sports such as Jetskis’ speedboats, paddleboards, kayaks, or boat excursions around the resort’s green canal. Kids can get inflatable toys for splashing fun at the Beach Club. The adventurous among you can opt for kickboards, Frisbees, volleyballs, beach footballs, or simply a kite to fly in the afternoon breeze. If you feel more like relaxing, laze in the resort pool and follow its organic flow, as it winds more than 300 metres around the entire resort. Lovers …
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Prime Minister: stricter social distancing measures may be imposed
In a recent meeting with local officials, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that social distancing measures at a higher level than those stipulated in Directive 16 could be applied to quickly prevent the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic. A Hanoi street during the time of social distancing. Photo: Pham Hai The Government Office announced the Prime Minister’s instruction at a recent online conference on implementing the note of the Permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat on the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic. According to the Prime Minister, Ho Chi Minh City and many provinces and cities have implemented social distancing according to Directive 16 and have achieved certain results. However, the implementation of Directive 16 in some localities has not been serious, lacking inspection and supervision. Some people have not fully and seriously complied with the regulations. There is also subjectivity, neglect and loss …
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VIETNAM BUSINESS NEWS JULY 26
Securities firms cautious on directionless stock market Viet Nam’s stock market struggled to find direction last week as liquidity fell continuously and foreign investors net sold a value of more than VND2.22 trillion (US$96.6 million), causing analysts from securities firms to have cautious views of the market this week. On the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), the market benchmark VN-Index inched down in the last trading session to 1,268.83 points, while the HNX-Index on the Ha Noi Stock Exchange (HNX) plunged to 301.77 points. For the week, the VN-Index lost 2.34 per cent and the HNX-Index plummeted 1.95 per cent. Both benchmarks had declined more than 4 per cent since the close of trade Monday. The liquidity on both exchanges declined compared to the previous week. It was lower than the recent 20-week average, with a value of VND20.5 trillion per session. The trading value on the HOSE decreased by 5.2 per cent to VND91.54 trillion, equivalent to a drop of 4 per cent in …
VIETNAM BUSINESS NEWS JULY 27
Banks set conditions to lower interest rates The recent news by several Commercial Banks to lower lending interest rates can be considered good for businesses in particular and the economy in general. However, lowering loan interest rates is difficult to achieve. Deputy Governor Dao Minh Tu of the State Bank of Vietnam had assigned the Vietnam Banks Association (VNBA) to gather consensus on reducing of interest rates. After VNBA held an online meeting, a record sixteen Commercial Banks agreed to reduce interest rates to support businesses facing difficulties during the current ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. It is believed by many, that reduced interest rates at this time will prove to be a salvation for businesses, besides also providing support for banks. In a nutshell, it will be a boon for businesses, and also lend support to debtors in recovering from their debts. If enterprises are in trouble and unable to pay their debts, it causes more bad debts, besides increasing risk …
Hanoi has over 8,000 essential goods outlets during social distancing period
The city’s authority is cooperating with relevant units to ensure the supply of essential goods. Hanoi has announced a list of more than 8,000 essential goods supermarkets, convenience stores, and wet markets across the city, with daily operating hours mainly from 6am to 10pm. Shoppers at Big C Thang Long on July 24. Photo: The Hanoi Times The list, made by the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade, included post offices and express delivery services for goods transportation and supply. It helps to ease Hanoian resident's concern of supply shortfall during the 15 days under social distancing measures. The city-based major supermarket systems said they have increased their supply by 200% to ensure the supply of essential goods as well as keep prices unchanged. After three days the city’s partial lockdown became effective, the purchasing power of goods at supermarkets through online channels has increased sharply because people have limited going …