Worst-hit Agent Orange province alleviates victims' plight
07/22/2004 -- 21:00(GMT+7)
Quang Tri, July 22 (VNA)- The central province of Quang Tri, where almost 15,500 locals are affected by Agent Orange/dioxin, the largest number in Viet Nam, has intensified its fund-raising campaign to help ease the plight of the victims.
In July alone, the month for the poor, the disabled and Agent Orange/dioxin victims, the provincial Agent Orange fund disburbed 324 million VND to build 24 homes each worth 8 million VND for victim families, buy wheel-chairs for 93 victims, and grant 20 scholarships to children of Agent Orange victims.
The province has also worked with the Red Cross chapter of Tan Binh district, HCM City, to provide free medical examination and treatment for 980 Agent Orange victims from remote areas at a total cost of 129 million VND.
The fund has also collaborated with the provincial Red Cross to deploy a 298.5 million VND programme in support of the target population through the construction of dwelling houses for 19 families, providing start-up investment for 55 other families to raise dairy cows and pigs, covering vocational training tuition fees for 13 children and giving local medical centres with functional rehabilitation equipment.
The province has also launched a special lottery drive to raise 240 million VND for Agent Orange victims.
