Vietnam-U.S. Progress in Addressing Dioxin Issues

Vietnam and the US have taken a further step toward overcoming the consequences of Agent Orange/Dioxin, according to an official of the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA). Representatives of the US Embassy in Hanoi recently worked with VAVA to inquire into the living conditions of the Vietnamese victims and ways of minimizing the harmful effects of the toxic chemicals, VAVA Vice President Tran Xuan Thu told Vietnam News Agency on November 10. US officials agreed that health care is one of the embassy’s four priority areas, focusing on providing medical services for the victims and those living in the areas affected by the chemicals. VAVA leaders welcomed the US’s positive moves, saying the US has provided financial aid to Agent Orange remediation projects in hotspots. Currently, VAVA is studying new dioxin detoxification methods for the victims, Thu said, adding that the sauna therapy in Thai Binh province is paying off. He added that the Ministry of National Defence has agreed to build two more detoxification centres at Hospitals No103 and 175. Philanthropists in Vietnam and around the world are joining hands to assist the Vietnamese victims spiritually and materially. The Vietnamese Embassy in Finland on November 10 handed over 2,050 euros to a VAVA representative to support the victims. (vovnews.vn Nov 9)