The Government has issued many programmes and national action plans to support this targeted group, including the national action plan on overcoming consequences of toxic chemicals/dioxin, and the establishment of a national steering committee on the settlement of post-war bombs, mines, and toxic chemical.
Although the war ended nearly 50 years ago, besides the hundreds of thousands of AO victims who have died, there are still hundreds of thousands of other people infected with toxic chemicals. Many of them include war veterans infected with chemical agents. Many families have two or even four people who are victims of AO.
They are suffering from many diabolical diseases which cannot be cured. The consequences of AO are passed on to their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren… and we do not know when it will end.
Together with the Government, ministries, sectors, localities, businesses, entrepreneurs, organisations, and individuals have actively carried out activities to overcome the consequences of war and support AO victims.
Around 5,000 people join charity walk for AO/dioxin victims in Ho Chi Minh City on August 12, 2023 (Photo: VNA)
Following the Party's guidelines and the State's policies, especially the Secretariat’s Directive No. 43-CT/TW dated May 14, 2015, on strengthening the Party's leadership on addressing the consequences of toxic chemicals, and the Government's national action plan on overcoming consequences of toxic chemicals/dioxin, the Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin (VAVA) at all levels has actively coordinated with relevant agencies to consult the Party and State in the building of policies and mechanisms for AO victims.
The VAVA has mobilised the support of sectors, socio-political organisations, businesses and benefactors both at home and abroad to join hands to ease the pain of AO victims.
From 2018 to June 2023, the Fund for Victims of Agent Orange collected 1.858 trillion VND. The money has been used to present gifts, provide vocational training, build new houses, or repair downgraded houses for many AO victims who are living in difficult circumstances.
In order to better care and support AO victims, Party committees, authorities, and the Fatherland Front at all levels, as well as sectors and local authorities, need to further thoroughly grasp and realise the abovementioned Secretariat Directive No. 43 of the Government's national action programme.
Local authorities should pay greater attention to providing proper preferential treatment to war veterans who have been contaminated with toxic chemicals.
They should promote coordination, and creating favourable conditions for the VAVA at all levels to fulfil its tasks assigned by the Party and State.
Together with the Government, ministries, sectors, localities, businesses, entrepreneurs, organisations, and individuals have actively carried out activities to overcome the consequences of war and support AO victims.
In the coming time, in addition to fostering the campaign and fight for justice for AO victims, VAVA at all levels should continue to closely work with functional agencies to realise signed programmes on addressing the consequences of toxic chemicals used by the US during the war in Vietnam.
It is also necessary to accelerate the popularisation of information to all classes of people in Vietnam, Overseas Vietnamese, and people around the world to help them understand more about the AO disaster in Vietnam as well as the country’s efforts to overcome the consequences of toxic chemicals, thus mobilising more social resources to care for AO victims.
This August, the VAVA is hosting various activities to mobilise funds for AO/dioxin victims through a texting campaign launched to support AO/dioxin victims, an action month for AO victims, and the 62nd anniversary of the AO/dioxin disaster in Vietnam (1961 – 2023).
Of which, the texting campaign calls on organisations and individuals nationwide to send a text message ‘DA CAM’ to 1409. Each message contributes a donation worth 20,000 VND (0.85 USD) to help the victims.
The campaign will last until September 19. The money raised in the campaign will be used to support the costs of medical examination and treatment, vocational training, construction and repair of houses, and gifts for AO/ dioxin victims in difficult circumstances across the country.
