Research on solutions for the third generation of Agent Orange victims

Comrade Nguyen Van Hung - Deputy Head of the Central Committee for Mass Mobilization led the inspection delegation. Working with the delegation, on Nghe An side, there were comrades: Nguyen Van Thong - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee; Thai Thanh Quy - Alternate Member of the Party Central Committee, Member of the Standing Committee, Head of the Provincial Party Committee for Mass Mobilization. Photo: Mai Hoa

At the meeting, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Nguyen Van Thong affirmed that the work of caring for families of policy beneficiaries and people with revolutionary contributions has always been of interest to Party committees at all levels in Nghe An, and is identified as a key task, ensuring good implementation of political tasks and social security.

Nghe An is a large province, also a great rear base in the two resistance wars of the nation, so the number of people with revolutionary contributions is large. The whole province has 43,503 people recognized as wounded and sick soldiers; more than 30,000 people who participated in the war, served in the war were infected with toxic chemicals used by the US during the war.

In particular, the implementation of Directive No. 43/CT-TW, dated May 14, 2015 of the Secretariat was methodically directed by the Provincial Party Committee and Party committees at all levels and concretized with many specific and practical actions.

In addition to ensuring proper policies for beneficiaries in the past 10 years, Nghe An has focused on socializing resources to care for people with meritorious services, including those infected with toxic chemicals.

Party committees at all levels also directed the consolidation and improvement of the organization of the Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin from the provincial to the grassroots level, as well as ensuring policies for the Association's staff at all levels.

Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Nguyen Van Thong affirmed that Nghe An is interested in implementing Directive No. 43/CT-TW, dated May 14, 2015 of the Secretariat in a systematic and practical manner. Photo: Mai Hoa

The Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee also raised some concerns, that is, the rate of people enjoying the regime is still too low, only 10,036 out of more than 30,000 people participating in combat and serving in combat were infected with toxic chemicals used by the US during the war with the regime.

Based on the scientific analysis of genetic genes for the third generation, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Nguyen Van Thong proposed that the Central Government have a specific mechanism to resolve the regime for the third generation. On the other hand, the Central Government also needs to study and improve the regime for people who directly participated in the battlefield and were infected with Agent Orange, lost the ability to work and lost the ability to take care of themselves...

Dinh Xuan Tu, Chairman of the Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin in the province, said that the war has been over for more than 40 years, so keeping documents to enjoy the regime for disadvantaged subjects is not enough; he suggested that the Central Government study a "softer" solution, based on the reality of specific people, instead of just basing on documents as it is now.

Chairman of the Provincial Association of Agent Orange/Dioxin Victims Dinh Xuan Tu visited and encouraged Agent Orange victims in Quynh Van commune (Quynh Luu). Photo: Archive

In reality, there are families with many people infected with Agent Orange and parents have a hard time taking care of them. Mr. Dinh Xuan Tu also suggested that the Central Government study a regime for people taking care of people infected with Agent Orange like war invalids.

Also mentioning the difficulties and shortcomings, Deputy Director of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Dang Duong said that currently, the children of those who participated in the resistance war in areas sprayed with dioxin and are deformed and disabled are entitled to Agent Orange benefits, but their fathers are not yet entitled to them.

On the other hand, currently in the military records and party membership records of many subjects, only the unit code is recorded, but the combat area is not clearly identified, there is no basis for the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs to recommend them for assessment, so it is recommended that the Central Government direct the early decoding of military units.

Deputy Head of the Central Committee for Mass Mobilization Nguyen Van Hung concluded the meeting. Photo: Mai Hoa

Concluding the meeting, Head of the Central Inspection Delegation Nguyen Van Hung highly appreciated the implementation of Directive No. 43 of Nghe An province.

Besides pointing out some difficulties and limitations, comrade Nguyen Van Hung suggested that Nghe An continue to propagate and thoroughly implement the Directive to raise awareness among Party committees, the political system, cadres, party members and people; continue to specifically review subjects infected with Agent Orange, including the third generation, thereby taking better care of Agent Orange victims.

According to the Deputy Head of the Central Committee for Mass Mobilization, Nghe An needs to focus on strengthening the organization of the Association at all levels, meeting the requirements of advising the Party Committee and government as well as ensuring the rights and taking good care of people infected with Agent Orange in the province.