The spirit of dedication of journalists with the desire to make life better

Multiply the green

During the Covid-19 pandemic, in order to carry out the tasks assigned by the editorial office, Nghe An Newspaper reporters have continuously followed each hot spot of the epidemic to report and promptly reflect on the epidemic situation, the lives of people in the epidemic area and solutions and lessons learned in epidemic prevention and control.

Reporters in Nghe An work at Vinh International Airport. Photo: Thanh Chung

Reporter Nguyen Thanh Cuong (Current Affairs - Politics Department, Nghe An Newspaper) tells the story of working during the epidemic period: During the days of working to fight the epidemic, to ensure safety for themselves, the agency and the community, reporters following the epidemic had to be "quarantined". Nghe An Newspaper created conditions to arrange a separate room with full amenities, located on a separate floor for reporters to come here to live when they return from working to prevent and fight the epidemic... Wherever, in any area with new community infections, Nghe An Newspaper reporters are present.

“Determining the risks of being infected at any time, when working in the hot spots of the epidemic, each reporter must also wear full protective clothing like medical staff. Testing is carried out regularly... basically, in the fourth wave of the Covid-19 epidemic, reporters reporting on the epidemic must accept living "away from family", avoiding meeting acquaintances" - reporter Nguyen Thanh Cuong shared.

Among the citizens returning from Japan, 4 people were infected with Covid-19. Photo: Thanh Chung

Now that the Covid-19 epidemic has been basically controlled, life is gradually returning to normal, but the days of fighting the epidemic are still an unforgettable "haunting". Nghe An Newspaper reporters reporting on the Covid-19 epidemic still remember very clearly: If we count the first Covid-19 infection case in the province, we must mention flight number VJ7835 carrying 224 passengers from Narita airport (Japan) entering Vinh International Airport on the evening of April 14, 2021. After these passengers were quarantined in Con Cuong district, 4 cases of Covid-19 were discovered. The first community infection case was the case in Quynh Lap commune, Hoang Mai town on May 5, 2021... After this community infection case, Nghe An had more than 1 month of peace. However, starting from June 13, 2021, infections continuously appeared in the locality.

It must be said that those were “dark” days. At this time, in Nghe An province, the number of people who had received 1-2 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine was very small. The risk of an epidemic came from many sides. In the province, although all anti-epidemic plans had been fully prepared, when the epidemic actually occurred, there were still many shortcomings. Nghe An province was forced to apply isolation, blockade, and restriction measures... to each locality with the epidemic at different levels. Production stagnated, and people's lives faced many difficulties.

Reporter Thanh Cuong works at the province's centralized medical quarantine area. Photo: Thanh Chung

However, in the overall “gray” picture, there are still many bright, optimistic and hopeful colors. In the face of many difficulties and challenges, the whole country in general and the Party Committee and people of Nghe An province have joined hands and united to gradually control and suppress the epidemic. There are many examples of good people, good deeds, good ways to fight the epidemic, overcome difficulties... Those bright colors have been the belief in victory, helping everyone to firmly overcome the epidemic.

Reporter Bui Cong Kien (Social Affairs Department, Nghe An Newspaper) - one of the reporters reporting on the Covid-19 epidemic of Nghe An Newspaper confided: “Reporters of Nghe An Newspaper have been to many places. From following the sampling teams of the health sector to Ha Tinh, to Dien Chau, Vinh city; following the police officers and soldiers in tracing; entering quarantine facilities with military officers and soldiers; following the volunteer group transporting food in the blockaded area... Having traveled a lot, witnessed a lot, we want to recount the things we “saw and heard” through notes“Brightening the spirit of solidarity and determination to defeat the pandemic” published in Nghe An Newspaper”.

Reporter Ngo Nhat Lan goes to work at the province's centralized medical quarantine area. Photo: Thanh Cuong

These notes are stories about the spirit of patriotism shining through every action of cadres, party members and every citizen. There, the entire political system and functional agencies are involved, especially the medical team, doctors, army and police who work day and night to fight against "Covid-19", protecting the peaceful life of the people.

Every Nghe An person stands up to fight the "Covid-19 enemy"; always takes responsibility for their own health and the community's; strictly follows regulations, actively propagates the prevention and control of Covid-19; unites with the whole Party, the whole people, the whole army, creating a position of people's hearts to defeat the pandemic. The records also clearly state that the spirit of sharing material things, giving rice, sharing clothes, helping the needy during the pandemic has become a widespread movement among the people. Everyone believes that, despite facing many hardships and sacrifices, with the leadership of the Party, the State, and the consensus of the people, the "war against Covid-19" will be victorious...

For tomorrow's development

Reporter Nhat Lan at Nam Can border post. Photo: Thanh Cuong

If the report "Brightening the spirit of solidarity, determined to defeat the pandemic" by Nghe An Newspaper reporters wanted to talk about the beloved green patches of the "emulation movement against Covid-19"; then the report“Pu Mat medicinal herbs and Phan Van Dien's aspiration”is a very specific story of a person, a land that still aspires to develop day and night. Nghe An is a poor province, in great need of people who dare to think, dare to do like Phan Van Dien to rise up.

Reporter Ngo Nhat Lan (Readers and Law Department, Nghe An Newspaper) told the story of writing his report: “The character of the article is Mr. Phan Xuan Dien. I personally knew Dien about 10 years ago. At that time, Phan Van Dien was the Chief of the New Rural Office of Con Cuong district, often leading young intellectuals to communes such as Don Phuc, Mau Duc, Cam Lam to implement economic models. By 2017, when young intellectuals no longer had jobs, I went to learn about their lives and learned that Dien was leading young intellectuals to implement a medicinal herb project to grow Solanum procumbens. At that time, I took a series of photos and published them in Nghe An newspaper. That was probably the first article in which the public learned about Phan Xuan Dien.”

Later, when Phan Xuan Dien had success with the project when there were some medicinal products that met the 4-star OCOP standard. At this time, many reporters wrote about Dien. In 2021, reporter Ngo Nhat Lan was assigned by the Nghe An Newspaper Editorial Board to write about some startup portraits, and he wrote about Phan Xuan Dien. With his own experience and perspective, reporter Ngo Nhat Lan saw in his character some differences that other authors had not fully exploited...

Reporter Ngo Nhat Lan said: “As many other articles have mentioned, Phan Xuan Dien, when he was a Deputy Head of the Department of Agriculture, left the State agency to work on the project. That is a special point. But I see another more special point, which is that although Dien left the State agency, his connection with the old agency is still very close. Dien is a person with capacity, will, courage and more especially, he has been loyal to his wishes from the beginning. When the province had a large medicinal plant development project for the highlands, Con Cuong district followed the province's project to build its own, and Dien was the one who wrote it. Dien has done very well what the province, the district and he himself have written. Developing medicinal plants in the Western region is not only a personal story of creating a brand and personal benefits, but also aims to create jobs for the people. In the development process from 2018 to now, Phan Xuan Dien has had certain successes and the people are the beneficiaries of the success. That's the work. Up to this point, Dien is still struggling and that hardship makes even more clear what is precious about him."

Awarding First Prize to the authors who won the Nghe An Journalism Award 2021. Photo: Duc Anh

Reporter Ngo Nhat Lan recalled: “The day Phan Xuan Dien left the State agency, he asked for my opinion. I advised Dien not to leave because starting a career outside was very precarious, if he lost, he would lose everything. However, Dien tried to prove himself and aimed for sustainable, long-term results.”

In a conversation with Director of the Department of Science and Technology Tran Quoc Thanh about Phan Xuan Dien, Mr. Thanh said: “In a forest, there are not only eagles but also sparrows. To develop the medicinal herbs industry, not only eagles are needed, but sparrows are also needed. Indigenous enterprises such as Pu Mat Medicinal Herbs Joint Stock Company are like sparrows, very precious. Because only indigenous enterprises can easily connect with the people to create raw material areas without the State having to acquire land…”. The Director of the Department of Science and Technology also said that Pu Mat Medicinal Herbs Joint Stock Company is participating in the enterprise model in the cooperative. There, the enterprise plays a leading role, is responsible for supplying seeds, raw materials, fertilizers, techniques, and consuming products for members who are households with land funds and labor. “Pu Mat Medicinal Herbs Joint Stock Company has not yet passed the start-up stage, there are still many difficulties to overcome. But I believe Dien will be successful” - Mr. Thanh shared.

The report “Pu Mat medicinal herbs and the aspiration of Phan Van Dien” is a story about a shining example of entrepreneurship. Writing about Phan Xuan Dien, the author wants to send a message to young people who aspire to become start-up businesses in Nghe An to look at this, to think, to nurture their aspirations, to dare to think, to dare to do, to be steadfast and determined… to succeed.