SOURCE: Vietnam News Agency, 5/8/04
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Ha Noi, May 8 (VNA) - The Viet Nam Red Cross held a ceremony in Ha Noi on Saturday to mark the World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day (May 8) and to launch a month of action for poor disabled people and war victims (May 8-June 8).

President Tran Duc Luong and representatives from the diplomatic corp, NGOs and foreign Red Cross societies in Ha Noi attended the event, together with more than 1,000 members of the Ha Noi Red Cross chapter.

Addressing the ceremony, President Luong praised the continuous efforts of Vietnamese Red Cross workers and the contributions of foreign and domestic donors to Viet Nam's humanitarian work. He said the Viet Nam Red Cross should pay more attention to remote, isolated areas, islands and areas along the border. The President praised the idea of launching a month of action for poor disabled people and war victims, calling for practical actions to help them integrate into the community.

On this occasion, 12 scholarships and 5 wheelchairs were presented to poor disabled people and war victims. 

During the month of action, the Viet Nam Red Cross will implement programmes on the free supply of prostheses and wheelchairs  as well as improving their living conditions such as construction of free houses, schools, and clean water supply facilities. Red Cross chapters will also provide medical checks-up and treatment to specific groups, hold job training courses and grant start-up capital and vocational training to Agent  Orange victims. The organisers expect to raise funds for at least 2,000 wheelchairs, 1,000 houses and scholarships for the disabled and war victims.

There are an estimated 5 million disabled people in Viet Nam or over 6 percent of the  population, including 19.07 percent of that figure victims of unexploded ordnances.

Of more than 1 million Agent Orange victims, 150,000 children are suffering congenital deformities.

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