Hanoi (VNA) – A meeting accompanied by a series of activities was held in Hanoiꦑ on November 19 in response to the World Toilet Day by the Ministry of Health, Vietnam Youth Federation and the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF).
According to Nguyen Thi Lien Huong, Director of the Health Environment Management Agency (under the Health Ministry), environmental sanitation and hygiene in Vietnam’s rural areas remain poor despite great improvements in living standards thanks to rapid economic development over the past years.
Huong said only 65 percent of households in rural areas had standard toilets as of the end of 2015, and more than five million people still continue to defecate openly. In the Mekong Delta region, many fish ponds are used as toilets.
Meanwhile many schools, offices and public areas lack toilets, and those existing facilities are often sub-standard, affecting studying and working conditions and service quality as well as economic development, she added.
Poor public awareness and lack of attention on the part of local authorities are the main reasons behind the lack of sanitation facilities.
Huong urged ministries, localities and schools to boost popularisation of the importance of standard toilets among the public.
An UNICEF representative told the meeting that about one third of child deaths in Vietnam are linked to malnutrition, which is related to diarrhoea and parasitic worms caused by poor sanitation condition.
A show of standard toilets and a run to promote hygienic toilets for children took place at the meeting, attracting the participation of over 3,000 people.-VNA
The Ministry of Education and Training has called for the further involvement of teachers, education managers and students to foster the national target programme for rural water supply and environmental sanitation.
Ha Thanh Hang, permanent chief of the National Target Programme for Rural Water and Sanitation, spoke to Nong thon ngay nay (Countryside Today) newspaper about targets for the upcoming period.
Rural communities’ awareness of the importance of clean water, hygienic latrines and protecting the environment has been improved by the National Target Programme for Rural Clean Water and Sanitation.
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Vietnam Red Cross Society signed a cooperation agreement on November 8 to implement a project on urgent response to the need for clean water.
All 20 crew members aboard the Vietnamese oil tanker GT Unity were successfully rescued from a fire in the vessel’s engine room, thanks to the swift response of the Liberian-flagged ship Androusa and Vietnamese maritime rescue teams.
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Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP, which took effect on the issuance date, introduces amendments that integrate the procedure for reporting and explaining the demand for foreign workers into the process of submitting applications for work permits.
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According to national technical regulations, AIS installation is mandatory for boats carrying more than 50 passengers. However, operators of smaller vessels (under 50 seats) in Ha Long Bay have voluntarily committed to completing installation by the deadline to enhance operational safety.
The activities include a Vietnamese language teaching training course for overseas Vietnamese teachers from August 13 to 28 in Hanoi, Ninh Binh, and Thai Nguyen.
Specifically, the ships will carry out patrols from 7am to 6pm daily along the main tourist routes in Ha Long Bay, with one ship permanently stationed at Ti Top island. From 6pm to 7am the following day, the mobile vessels return to Tuan Chau island to maintain a 24/7 on-call duty shift, ensuring constant readiness.
The Ministry of Construction (MoC) plans to open to traffic 208km of expressways of six key projects by August 19, bringing the country’s total expressway network to 2,476km.
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Whether they grow up to become journalists, diplomats, or professionals in other fields, these children can one day become bridges of friendship and cooperation, telling new and inspiring stories of Vietnam – China relations, said Ambassador Pham Thanh Binh.
A 21-year-old Indian tourist was successfully resuscitated and treated by doctors at Hoan My Da Nang Hospital after a near-drowning incident left him in critical condition. After three days of intensive care, the man was discharged from the hospital and has since returned to India.
In an document issued on August 5, the PM emphasised the need to stablise living conditions for people hit by floods, landslides, and flash floods in late July and early August in northern and north-central provinces, especially Dien Bien, Son La, and Nghe An which suffered some of the worst damage.
Although millions of Vietnamese were affected by AO, only over 626,000 individuals, including war veterans and their children suffering from dioxin-related conditions, are currently receiving state benefits.
The team’s haul, including one Champion title, 10 golds, seven silvers, and four bronzes, surpassed expectations. Vietnam, competing since 2019, has secured over 200 AIMO medals, cementing its regional standing.
The guiding principle for revising the national energy master plan is that energy development must align with the country’s socio-economic development strategy. The energy system should be optimised as a whole, targeting sustainable and diverse development to ensure stable and adequate energy supply to meet national goals.
The Vietnam Disability Fashion Show 2025 aimed to honour the diverse beauty of individuals, promote humanistic values, and foster equality and social inclusion.
The Party and the Government pay special attention to accelerating the development of clean and green energy sources to support double-digit socio-economic growth target and ensure national energy security, focusing on developing the Ninh Thuan 1 and Ninh Thuan 2 nuclear power plants.
At the meeting (Photo: qdnd.vn)
