Poverty alleviation needs more support

President Truong Tan Sang has asked local and international organisations and individuals to support humanitarian programmes further in efforts to help the poor and needy people overcome difficulties.

President Truong Tan Sang has asked local and international organisations and individuals to support humanitarian programmes further in efforts to help the poor and needy people overcome difficulties.

President Truong Tan Sang speaks at a conference yesterday to review a campaign to help poor people and Agent Orange victims in preparing for the traditional Tet (Lunar New Year). — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyen Khang
President Truong Tan Sang speaks at a conference yesterday to review a campaign to help poor people and Agent Orange victims in preparing for the traditional Tet (Lunar New Year). — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyen Khang

Speaking at a conference yesterday to review a campaign to help poor people and Agent Orange victims in preparing for the traditional Tet (Lunar New Year), Sang praised the efforts of the Viet Nam Red Cross Society (VNRC) and local and international donors in humanitarian activities in the past.

"The Viet Nam Red Cross always has been the mainstay force in humanitarian movements for the poor and Agent Orange victims that attracted participation of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front and other sectors, organisations and the business community," Sang said.

The President said the party and the government have always paid a lot of attention to programmes on hunger eradication, poverty elimination, social security and care for the poor and those in difficulty.

"This is a long-term and lofty task that requires the encouragement and enthusiastic involvement of the whole society," Sang said.

VNRC Chairman Nguyen Hai Duong said the campaign, launched in mid-December last year, mobilised VND719 billion (US$33.4 million) to give nearly two million Tet gifts to poor families and Agent Orange victims. The campaign also helped to build 559 houses, donated 464 cows and provided health check-ups and treatment to more than 160,000 people.

In 2014, the society's blood donation mobilisation movement collected more than one million blood units, an increase of 8.4 per cent compared to 2013. Of these, more than 964,000 blood units, or more than 96 per cent of the collected blood, were donated by voluntary donors.

A humanitarian examination and treatment programme, jointly implemented by the society and the Young Physician Association under the health ministry, also provided health check-ups and medicines to 1,157,700 patient visits in 2014.

The society mobilised more than VND3 trillion ($139.9 million) to help nearly 14 million poor households and Agent Orange victims in the country over the past 16 years, VNRC said.

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