The Vietnam Journalists Association and Canada’s HealthBridge Foundation in Vietnam held a seminar on the role of the press in preventing the negative impact of alcohol abuse, in Hanoi on January 8.
Hanoi (VNA)๊ – The Vietnam Journalists Association, in collaboration with Canada’s HealthBridge Foundation in Vietnam, held a seminar on the role of the press in preventing the negative impact of alcohol abuse, in Hanoi on January 8.
Speaking at the event, HealthBridge Vietnam Director Pham Thi Hoang Anh analysed the impact of wine and beer abuse on poverty, and the characteristics of families with regular use of alcohol.
According to a survey of the foundation, 57.72 percent of Vietnamese families drink beer and wine regularly, with the country spending 16.4 trillion VND (721.6 million USD) annually on alcohol. The money, if used buying rice, could feed nearly 21 million people a year.
Therefore, Anh stated that intensifying communications on the negative impact of wine and beer, on public health and the economy is essential, especially in rural and ethnic-inhabited areas.
Increasing taxes imposed on alcohol drinks and their prices has been proved effective in reducing alcohol consumption around the world, she said; adding that the prevention of alcohol abuse needs to be included in gender equality and poverty reduction programmes.
According to the World Health Organisation, alcohol is a direct reason for 30 diseases and indirectly causes 200 other diseases and trauma.
Vietnam is among a few countries seeing a rise in consumption of alcoholic beverages. It is now the biggest beer consuming market in Southeast Asia and the third in Asia, after Japan and China.
Alcohol is a major killer of Vietnamese men aged from 15-49. It is also a cause for 33.7 percent of domestic violence cases in the country.
At the seminar, participants suggested that Vietnam’s laws related to alcoholic beverages should be amended, to create a better legal framework - to help prevent the negative consequences of excessive drinking on public health, and society in general.-VNA
Local beverage enterprises should have reasonable strategies on production and consumption to gain growth in the situation of high inventory at present, said experts.
An increasing number of young adults in their thirties and forties are suffering from heart attacks, which typically occur in older age, according to the Vietnam Medical Association.
The local beer market is set to face tough competition due to a rising number of foreign brewers moving into the market after Vietnam joins the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), experts said.
The beverage industry contributed 30 trillion VND (1.3 billion USD) to the State budget last year, according to the Vietnam Beer, Alcohol and Beverage Association (VBA).
Vietnam has over 4.8 million people exposed to AO/dioxin, including hundreds of thousands in the second, third, and even fourth generations. Many live with severe disabilities, facing high medical costs and loss of earning capacity.
Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang reaffirmed that amnesty is a humanitarian policy of the Party and State, reflecting the Vietnamese tradition of compassion and winning attention and high praise both domestically and internationally.
Vietnam officially grants limited-term visa-free entry to high-profile foreigners whose presence is deemed beneficial to the country’s socio-economic development.
With support from the Vietnamese Association in Ufa, Vietnamese language classes for children have been offered for many years. Currently, 60 children of various ages are attending two classes taught by Duc Anh, free of charge.
Vietnam ranked among the top four countries and territories at the 2025 International Olympiad on Artificial Intelligence (IOAI), reaffirming its strong position in international academic competitions.
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.
Describing Agent Orange as one of the most severe and enduring legacies of the war in Vietnam, Vietnam's former Honorary Consul to Belgium Joseph-Michel de Grand Ry warned that its impact – still affecting generations more than five decades later – could last another two to three decades.
Running from August 4 to September 2, under the hashtag #TuHaoVietNam, the campaign invites participants in two categories: “I Love My Country” video clips and “I Love My Country” check-in photos.
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.
With a tight 13-month deadline, the move is under a strategic and urgent policy to bridge educational gaps, train the local workforce, and shore up territorial sovereignty in some of the country’s most remote areas.
The parade and personnel send-off ceremony will officially take place on August 10 at the area surrounding the Statue of King Ly Thai To and Dinh Tien Hoang street of Hoan Kiem ward, with the participation of nearly 3,000 officers, soldiers, and local residents.
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.
As of July 1, a two-tier local government model started in 34 provinces and cities, streamlining administration but creating a surplus of public properties. If not promptly addressed, these assets could become a financial burden.
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 seminar (Source: VNA)
