Efforts to alleviate the suffering caused by Agent Orange

PV: Sir, currently in the province there are many victims of Agent Orange/dioxin poisoning, and they still face the daily suffering caused by this toxic substance. To alleviate the pain of these Agent Orange victims, we have had many programs and large-scale campaigns. Could you please tell us about the results of these campaigns?

Mr. Hoang Dang Hoe:The war is long over, yet in today's life, we still witness the enduring suffering caused by Agent Orange. Many people are still disabled, both intellectually and physically, due to Agent Orange/dioxin. Many families are left destitute, both financially and emotionally, with their children being victims of Agent Orange/dioxin. Some families even have third and fourth generations affected by this insidious poison, both physically and intellectually.

Nghe An province previously had over 30,000 people who participated in combat or served in combat on battlefields and were exposed to chemical toxins used by the US during the Vietnam War. In 2014, the province processed chemical toxin benefits for 18,973 people. To date, due to death, relocation, and some cases where the benefits were cut by inspectors because of incomplete documentation, 13,690 people remain, including 8,911 direct victims and 4,779 indirect victims. In addition, more than 500 people from the third generation have not yet received benefits as victims of Agent Orange. The latest survey shows that 5 people belong to the fourth category affected by these toxins. Those affected by chemical toxins are mainly people who directly participated in the resistance war and are currently 70 years old or older, mostly elderly, frail, and suffering from multiple illnesses. Children born with deformities, disabilities, neurological or mental illnesses, paralysis, or inability to work, whose income mainly comes from chemical poisoning allowances, face many difficulties in life.

In order to help alleviate the suffering, over the years, the Party and State of Vietnam have issued many policies and guidelines, and allocated significant funds to provide subsidies, healthcare, and rehabilitation for victims, as well as support for areas severely affected by Agent Orange. Action movements for Agent Orange victims have been implemented on a wide scale, attracting widespread participation from the public.

Following the directives of the Central Committee's Mass Mobilization Department, the Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin recently launched the "Month of Action for Agent Orange Victims" to call on all levels, sectors, organizations, and individuals both domestically and internationally to support the care and assistance of Agent Orange victims. Currently, Party committees and authorities from the central to local levels are leading and directing the various levels of the Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin to organize effective and practical activities, striving to achieve and surpass the targets set for the month of action.

In addition, the Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin, in coordination with the Standing Agency of the Steering Committee 701, is stepping up the implementation of the cooperation program for the period 2021-2026, directly carrying out effective propaganda work on the 63rd anniversary of the Agent Orange disaster in Vietnam and promoting activities in the "Month of Action for Victims of Agent Orange" in 2024.

Thanks to the attention of the Party, the State, the Party committees, the government, the Fatherland Front, and various departments and organizations at all levels in Nghe An province, many policies and guidelines have been issued for people with meritorious services and victims of Agent Orange; with the close guidance of the Central Association; and with the efforts of the associations at all levels, philanthropists, and the people, the difficulties of policy beneficiaries, including victims of Agent Orange/dioxin, have been somewhat alleviated. In particular, during holidays and Tet (Lunar New Year), members have received attention, visits, encouragement, and gifts.

During the Lunar New Year of the Dragon 2024, the Provincial Association and its branches mobilized support from organizations and individuals in the area, resulting in 4,225 gift packages worth 1,610 million VND. The Standing Committee of the Provincial Association and its branches visited each victim's family to offer condolences and gifts, allocating 60 million VND to distribute as 200 gift packages, each worth 300,000 VND. District and city associations also mobilized support from organizations and individuals in their areas, resulting in 4,005 gift packages worth 1,550 million VND. In addition, Agent Orange victims received attention from the government, mass organizations at all levels, and philanthropists who visited, donated gifts, and provided assistance to families with particularly difficult circumstances, including free medicine, worth hundreds of millions of VND, contributing to both material and spiritual encouragement for the victims.

PV: Despite the attention from the Party, the State, and society as a whole, victims of Agent Orange and their families still face extremely difficult living conditions. With meager subsidies, many families barely have enough to eat, let alone pay for medicine and hospital fees. Therefore, we still have concerns about the victims of Agent Orange.

Mr. Hoang Dang Hoe:Currently, most Agent Orange victims face extremely difficult living conditions. According to surveys, the province currently has 346 victims classified as particularly disadvantaged. The most difficult situation is for category 2, as most victims in this group are severely affected. The majority are unable to live independently, and families with children affected by Agent Orange are mostly in dire straits, facing poverty despite receiving government assistance ranging from 900,000 to 1,200,000 VND per month per person.

We have visited incredibly distressing families where three children, now in their 20s and 40s, are still like helpless toddlers confined to cribs, unable to feed themselves, take care of their hygiene, or walk. Meanwhile, the parents are elderly, and in many families, only the mother remains, or only the father, or one parent is suffering from a terminal illness. There are also families where children are chained to the bed, screaming and breaking things all day, preventing their relatives from eating or sleeping. Their wish is to be able to build a room where the children can live independently, and to have a foster care center to look after them until the end of their lives after their parents pass away.

Regarding the construction of centers for Agent Orange victims, despite numerous proposals, Nghe An province has yet to receive approval, while Ha Tinh, Thanh Hoa, Quang Binh, and Quang Tri provinces have already established such centers. However, there are still concerns about building centers for Agent Orange victims. Securing the necessary approval and funding is difficult enough, but maintaining them is even more challenging. In reality, a center needs to have various operational components, such as vocational training for victims to enable them to work, and facilities for providing medical care and detoxification for severely affected victims. However, most centers in the provinces only effectively provide care and detoxification. This illustrates the significant difficulty in establishing centers for Agent Orange victims. Therefore, the task of caring for Agent Orange victims who no longer have family members to care for them remains a difficult problem.

Furthermore, we only received the provincial People's Committee's directive on resource mobilization on June 20, 2024, so securing funds for support activities remains very difficult. In addition, the province's large geographical area and complex terrain make transportation challenging, affecting the association's activities, especially in remote and rural areas.

PV: Sir, to continue supporting and sharing with victims of Agent Orange/dioxin poisoning, what action programs and goals do we have planned for the future?

Mr. Hoang Dang Hoe:To continue supporting victims of Agent Orange/dioxin, the Association at all levels will continue to coordinate with agencies, organizations, and media outlets to widely disseminate information among all segments of the population, organizations, and units in each locality about the serious and long-term harm and consequences of Agent Orange/dioxin, a toxic chemical used by the US during its war of aggression against our country, on the ecological environment and human health, especially for victims who participated in combat, served in combat, and their descendants who were exposed to Agent Orange/dioxin at birth.

Continue to thoroughly understand and effectively implement Directive 43/CT-TW dated May 14, 2015, of the Central Party Secretariat and Document No. 4534/CV-TU dated August 7, 2015, of the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee on strengthening the Party's leadership over the work of addressing the consequences of chemical toxins used by the US during the war in Vietnam.

Honoring exemplary individuals in caring for and assisting victims, overcoming difficulties to become successful entrepreneurs, dedicated association officials who support victims, and philanthropists who stand alongside victims…

Continue to request the Provincial Party Committee to approve the mobilization for the establishment of the Agent Orange Victims Fund and to effectively implement it when authorized by competent authorities. Coordinate well with the Fatherland Front Committees at all levels to continue to publicize and mobilize organizations, individuals, and philanthropists to contribute to the Agent Orange Victims Fund at all levels. Manage and utilize the fund effectively and in accordance with regulations.

Actively coordinate with the Fatherland Front Committee, relevant agencies, departments, and other organizations in the area to care for the lives of Agent Orange/dioxin victims, and effectively organize support, visits, and encouragement for families and victims in difficult circumstances, especially during holidays and festivals.

Continue to effectively direct the implementation of the "For Victims of Agent Orange" emulation movements with appropriate forms and methods, linked to the "For Victims of Agent Orange" action movement launched by the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee and the Central Committee of the Association... Organize a meeting to honor outstanding association officials, members, philanthropists, and caregivers of victims on the Day for Victims of Agent Orange (August 10) and the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army.

PVThank you for the conversation!