[Article] Japanese quartet fluent in traditional, western styles.

November, 20 2010 | Viêt Nam News

HA NOI — A quartet led by Japanese artist Karin Nakagawa will perform a programme of original songs on traditional instruments at Ha Noi's Tuoi Tre (Youth) Theatre on December 8-9.
Nakagawa plays a 25-stringed koto (Japanese harp), and has developed her performance style, a unique way of performing the rhythm with her feet.
Among the other members of her group, Akihito Obama performs shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute), displaying a combination of traditional techniques with a fluency in Western styles, while rounding out the quartet are pianist Mami Ishizuka and percussionist Akira Sunrise, who plays a variety of self-made and other instruments from around the world.
Local guest artists will also join in the performance, including Vanessa Vo Van Anh on dan tranh (16-chord zither) and cheo (traditional opera) singer Thu Huyen.

Cross-cultural: Karin Nakagawa (left) and her quartet will perform Japanese contemporary music on traditional instruments in Ha Noi next month. — Photo courtesy of the Japan Foundation Centre

[ ... Read the full article here ... ]

[Article] 3,000-year-old stone instrument found in Binh Thuan.

November, 18 2010 | Viêt Nam News

HA NOI – Five-stones of a musical instrument believed to date back 3,000 years has been found in central Binh Thuan Province.
Farmer Ho Giap of the province's Duc Linh District found the pieces while working his field.
Binh Thuan Museum director Nguyen Xuan Ly said the trapezium-shaped instrument was created from the dark green stone. Based on its shape and the materials, it could be three millenniums old.
One of the graduated five pieces of the instrument, which has been given to the museum for further study, is broken.
A similar stone instrument was found earlier in the same location.

Read this article here

[Article] Cave served as home of early human found.

September, 13 2010 | Viêt Nam News | by Le Huong

TUYEN QUANG -- A cave in Na Hang District in the northern province of Tuyen Quang is thought to have housed primitive humans during the Neolithic Era (7,000-8,000 years ago).
Tuyen Quang Museum's director Quan Van Dung said that experts from the museum and the Viet Nam Archaeology Institute discovered primitive human artefacts in the cave, which is known as Tham Choong Cave to the locals.
The archaeologists discovered more than 1,000 stone objects, including tools for cutting, chopping and grinding. The tools were handmade with stones that had been retrieved from a riverbed.

[Read the full article here]

[Article] Crumbling relics slip through the cracks.

July, 31 2010 | Viet Nam News

Crumbling majesty: A file photo shows the interior of the Giac Vien Pagoda in HCM City. The pagoda has suffered heavy encroachment from nearby developments and wear and tear over many years. — File Photo

HCM CITY — Overgrown with wild grass and weeds, a group of old tower tombs standing in front of an early 19th century pagoda has become a dump site for waste from surrounding households.
The Giac Vien Pagoda in HCM City's District 11, one of the oldest pagodas in the city, has suffered heavy encroachment and damage for many years.
Things are not much better inside the pagoda. Woodworm-infested pillars stand in the main hall and the tiled roofs are in a state of collapse, says Thich Hue Thanh, a monk who has lived in the pagoda for 34 years.
The road leading to the pagoda is constantly flooded during the rainy season and some places inside become drenched when it rains because of leaking roofs, Thanh says.
"State agencies should quickly restore the pagoda to preserve its original architecture and historical value. Because it is a national relic, the pagoda is prevented from undertaking the restoration work on its own," he said.

[ ... Read the full article here ]

[Article] Museum gives insight into Bronze Age culture.

July, 10 2010 | Viêt Nam News

CAN THO — More than 600 ancient artefacts from Viet Nam and some other Asian countries are on display at an exhibition at the Can Tho Museum.
The relics, some 2,000 years old, are from collections held by museums and 60 individuals in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta region.
Some are on public display for the first time, including some Lao and Cambodian decorative objects and prayer objects in bronze, silver, stone, and baked clay.
Ceramics made by Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese artisans in the 13th and 14th centuries, including white and blue glazed jars, bowls, kettles, teapots, and vases account for a large part of the exhibition.
There are earthen jars from the Oc Eo era, one of Viet Nam's oldest known cultures dating back to the third century.
After the exhibition, 33 collectors will present 91 antiques belonging to the Ly and Tran eras to the Can Tho Museum.
The Ly and Tran dynasties, who ruled from the 11th to the 14th centuries, are renowned for their high-quality artefacts.
The exhibition, held to mark the 1,000th anniversary of Ha Noi will last until August 22. — VNS

[Article] Ancient tomb site uncovered.

July, 06 2010 | Viêt Nam News

HA NOI — Archaeologists working at a site in Ha Noi's Dong Anh District have stumbled across 11 tombs dating back to the Phung Nguyen culture, days before they were about to wind up the dig.
The Phung Nguyen remains, the best-preserved of any found in and around the city, date back about 4,000 years, archaeologists from the Viet Nam Archaeology Institute said.

Well preserved: The Phung Nguyen burial plot found in Dinh Trang, Dong Anh District. — Photo courtesy of the Viet Nam Archaeology Institute

The tombs were discovered 1.5m below ground.
"All the tombs are of people who were living during the Phung Nguyen civilisation, date back 3,500 to 4,000 years," said Lai Van Toi, PhD, who is in charge of excavating the site.
One of the tombs, provisionally called number nine, contained the well-preserved remains of a woman aged between 35-40, Nguyen Laân Cuong, deputy general secretary of the Viet Nam Archaeologists Association told Viet Nam News.
The woman was about 1.55m tall and was buried face up, with her arms lying by her sides and her head bent towards her left shoulder, Cuong said.
Her skull was a long ovoid shape, and her eye sockets were relatively low in her face. She also had a large nose.
Typical of the aristocracy of the Phung Nguyen culture in Xom Ren in the northern province of Phu Tho, her front-teeth had been removed, as was the case with the other skeletons unearthed. Skeletons dating from the Phung Nguyen culture found in Dong Dau in the northern province of Vinh Phuc, Hang To in Son La and Man Bac in Ninh Binh were also found to be missing their front teeth.
The custom was popular among the ancient peoples of south China, Japan and Oceanaria.
Some ceramic objects were found on the woman's left thigh and the left side of her hip. Archaeologists also found traces of red dust on her left knee bone, as has been seen in other ancient tombs.
The Dinh Trang site has been excavated seven times. During the last excavation, archaeologists found a total of 11 tombs, eight of which contained skeletons and teeth mostly of children.
Archaeologists said further research would be conducted on the tombs to learn more about the Phung Nguyen culture and the Dong Son civilisation, which dates back 2,000-3,000 years and existed in today Phu Tho, Yen Bai, Hoa Binh, Ha Noi, and the central provinces of Thanh Hoa, Nghe An and Ha Tinh. — VNS

Archaeologists unearth Metal Age furnaces

May, 22 2010 | VietNam News

HA NOI — Ancient copper furnaces recently unearthed at an archaeological site in Dong Anh, in the north of Ha Noi, have shed important light on the Metal Age, according to archaeologists.
"This site was a bronze casting workshop, with dozens of furnaces, which we have found during seven excavations here since 1971," said Lai Van Toi, from the Viet Nam Archaeology Institute.

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Photo: Smelting worksho: Ancient copper furnaces discovered at the Dinh Trang archaeological site and some metal weapons (above) also unearthed at the site. — VNS Photos Kieu Trinh

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Among artefacts found at the site are copper objects, cinders, broken pieces of pottery, pans and tripods – which were probably part of a traditional kitchen.

Most of the furnaces, which are believed to be about 4,000 years old, were aligned along a northwest to southeast axis and evenly spaced. They were also of similar design.
Archaeologists believe the furnaces were aligned like this so that they would catch the wind.
"In a 300sq.m area, we found many furnaces," said Prof Han Van Khan, from Ha Noi Social Sciences and Humanity University, who has also been excavating the site. This is not an ordinary family kitchen but a workshop for smelting metal.
"Copper may have been smelted here to make large objects," he said, adding that each of the two lines of furnaces may have been part of two separate workshops.
The second major Metal Age (Bronze Age to early Iron Age) [...] ... Read the article ...

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[Article] Archaeological site stops Ha Noi roadwork.

HA NOI — City authorities have asked relevant agencies to halt construction on a section of a new road project in the western area of the former Thang Long citadel for archaeological research after various remnants of the old citadel were unearthed recently.

Nguyen Hoang Linh, deputy director of Ha Noi's Traffic and Transportation Department, said that he had asked the management board of the construction project to co-ordinate with the Culture Heritage Department to help archaeologists conduct research at the site.

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Historic site: A new road project is thought to run over part of the royal citadel site recently unearthed by archaeologists. The construction will be stopped to facilitate further research. — VNA/VNS Photo Nhat Anh.

However, Linh confirmed that the project would only be stopped on the section of road thought to run over the royal citadel. The rest of the project would continue to meet the construction deadline.
The new road links Van Cao Street with West Lake and runs across the existing Hoang Hoa Tham Street.
Prof Trinh Sinh, from the Viet Nam Archaeology Institute, said that archaeologists would first examine the site to establish the origin of the remnants.
The specialists would then "read" through layers of cultural features in the earth linked to various reigns including Nguyen (1802-1945), later Le (1428-1788), Tran (1225-1400), Ly (1010-1225) and the Dai La citadel (7th-9th century).
"The upper cultural layers may be destroyed," he said, "But deeper layers may be intact. The historical value of the Thang Long royal citadel area is as high as that of the Co Loa citadel built by King An Duong Vuong (about 257BC), which is located in Dong Anh District, some 20km to the north of Ha Noi's centre."
The city authorities' request came in response to a recent proposal by the Cultural Heritage Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism based on multiple complaints by local residents and archaeologists alike since 2006, when the project was first proposed.
According to Vu Van Khanh, a local resident living in Thuy Khe Ward, the Hoang Hoa Tham – West Lake road project would level the old Hoang Hoa Tham road surface, which is thought to contain a section of the old Dai La citadel.
If the project continues, the old Hoang Hoa Tham Street will be replaced by a new road 53.5m wide.
The Ha Noi Traffic and Transportation Department started the second stage of the project last year without consulting the culture ministry which has raised the controversial topic in local media.
Quick evaluation
After just an hour examining the site on April 29, specialists from the Viet Nam Historical Science Association, found various valuable artefacts.
The scientists said that the artefacts found at the site were only remnants of what was left after excavators dug up a huge chunk of the citadel wall and disposed of it.
Prof Vu Van Quan, from the Ha Noi Social Sciences and Humane University could not hide his regret: "We have searched for the lost citadel wall for years and now there is a possibility that we will not be able to preserve the section of wall that exists here."
"We can see an obvious clay and brick wall, which must have been built with great care," noted Prof Tong Trung Tin, "Within the wall, we have discovered artefacts mainly of the late Le reign and also some of Tran, Ly and the pre-Thang Long period."
Prof Phan Huy Le concluded: "The Hong Duc map (1490) shows that the citadel wall section is 100 per cent a part of the royal wall. Specialists will conduct further research to figure out whether the wall section was used under the Ly and Tran dynasties but we can confirm right now that the section was used under the late Le dynasty (1428-1788)."
He further added that the majority of remnants unearthed were of the Le dynasty and the bricks bore special features of the dynasty's architecture.
"The fact that remnants of a royal citadel outlined on a map of more than 500 years old exist in a modern street is a rare phenomenon," said Prof Sinh. "This section of wall had its own special function protecting the royal citadel and acting as a dike at the same time," said Prof Tin.
As many as 50 local families have signed a petition letter to the association to ask for specialists to help stop the centuries old relics from being destroyed.
Assessing the project management board's actions, Prof Le said that the board had not broken the Heritage Law as the citadel wall section had not been classed as a national historical relic."
"But after the artefacts were discovered and the matter was brought to the attention of the media, construction had to stop so that specialists could check the site. If it really is a historical treasure, construction must be stopped forever, otherwise the Heritage Law would be broken," he said.
Prof Le asked agencies to complete a file recognising the heritage status of other sections of the royal citadel wall in other parts of the city. He also urged archaeologists to make a map of archaeological sites to ensure they are treated properly. — VNS

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[Article] 82 historic stone stelae recognised.

VNA/VNS | Anh Tuan | March, 11, 2010

HA NOI — The United Nations' Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has recognised 82 stelae commemorating laureates at court exams from the 15th to 18th century at Ha Noi's Temple of Literature as world documentary heritage.

The decision was announced at the meeting of the Memory of the World Committee for Asia and Pacific (MOW-CAP) on Tuesday in Macau.

"I am extremely happy at the decision," deputy minister of foreign affairs Nguyen Thanh Son told the Vietnam News Agency at the ceremony. "This is a real honour for Viet Nam. The laureate record stelae, which bear historical meaning and symbolise Vietnamese intellect, have officially been recognised by the world. We have proved that Viet Nam has a proud culture and history."

Speaking at the ceremony, Son, on behalf of the Vietnamese Government, thanked MOW-CAP for the decision.

He also confirmed Viet Nam's commitment to effectively restore and preserve documentary heritage, actively making contribution to UNESCO's activities in all fields at regional and international levels.

The Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945) wood block documents were recognised with the same title last year.

The 82 stone stelae are inscribed with the names of 2,313 doctorate holders who passed the court examinations between 1442 and 1779 under the Earlier-Le, Mac and Later-Le reigns.

The stelae, which bear the names of Trang Nguyen, Bang Nhan, Tham Hoa, and Hoang Giap (the first, second, third and fourth winning categories at the royal competition), sit on top of stone turtles.

Dang Kim Ngoc, director of the Temple of Literature, told Viet Nam News that the stelae at the temple were different from those in other Asian countries, including China, which had influenced Vietnamese feudal education.

The stelae are mainly in rectangular slanted slabs while those in China have varied forms, including square slabs and cylinders.

The decorative patterns on Viet Nam's stelae are more diverse.

The Temple of Literature was founded in 1070 as a Confucian temple. Parts of the complex date to the earliest period, although much of the architecture dates from the Ly (1010-1225) and Tran (1225-1400) dynasties, with the latest restoration conducted in 1999.

In 1076, Viet Nam's first university, the Quoc Tu Giam or Imperial Academy, was established within the temple to educate bureaucrats, nobles, royalty and the elite.

The university functioned from 1076 to 1779. The doctorate laureate exams were extremely difficult, with few students passing them. Each year, the names of those who did were engraved on the stelae.

UNESCO's Memory of the World Programme, also called UNESCO World Documentary Heritage is an international initiative launched to safeguard the documentary heritage of humanity against collective amnesia, neglect, the ravages of time and climatic conditions, and wilful and deliberate destruction.

It calls for the preservation of valuable archival holdings, library collections and private individual compendia all over the world for posterity, the reconstitution of dispersed or displaced documentary heritage, and the increased accessibility to and dissemination of these items. — VNS

Illustration : The stelae, which commemorated laureates at court exams at Temple of Literature, have been recognised as world heritage by UNESCO. VNA/VNS

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[Article] Journey through history with antique swords

Blades of glory: The collection of rare swords on display at the exhibition offers visitors a chance to learn more about history's most popular weapon. — VNS Photo Doan Tung

HA NOI — An exhibition of 99 ancient swords recently opened in Ha Noi, offering visitors a chance to learn more about history's most popular weapon.

The swords were selected from the private 300-sword collection owned by collector Duong Phu Hien.
Four generations of Hien's family have maintained and added to the collection. "By collecting and preserving ancient Vietnamese artefacts, especially those relating to the defence of our nation, every member of my family has demonstrated their love for the country and its magnanimous history," Hien said.
The exhibition features a large array of swords, including 37 that were made in Viet Nam. The others came from different countries, including China, Japan, and the UK.
Each scabbard is decorated with unique and sophisticated patterns, including typical ancient royal Vietnamese designs like pine trees, daisies, bamboo, apricots and dragons.
Hien said almost all of the Vietnamese swords in his collection date from three centuries ago.
The collector was visibly filled with pride when he talked about one of his rare Samurai sword, which is considered as one of the "stars" of the exhibition. The 2.02m-long and 18kg sword is the biggest and longest in his collection.
According to Hien, the 18th century sword was made out of very special steel. "A very complicated refining technique was necessary to create such a long sword. For this reason, long swords were very rare," he said.
The valuable collection also includes a bayonet with a solid golden handle, two 17th-century royal swords covered with Han Chinese characters, and a 1,500-year-old Cham sword.
Historian Duong Trung Quoc said: "The unique sword collection has a historical value which is much more significant than its material value."
American visitor Brian Brousseau said the exhibition was "beautiful and interesting". However, he added that the displays needed to be more organised because "it is difficult for people to know detailed information, such as which swords were made in Viet Nam".
A limited number of informational captions about the history of each sword disappointed another Vietnamese visitor.
"All I can do is look at the swords and admire them, but there are no stories to go alongside the experience," said Thanh Ha.
However, she was still interested in taking the time to enjoy the exhibit.
"Before I only knew about swords from TV, movies and the theatre, which are usually all the same. Here I see that there are many differences in their shapes and decorations," she said.
The exhibit also includes five bronze drums from the Dong Son civilisation which date back to 3,000 years ago.
The exhibition will last until the end of May at the Museum of Military History, 28A Dien Bien Phu Street, Ha Noi. — VNS (Read the article here)

Royal remains for reburial [VietNamNet Bridge]

24/01/2010 

The body of King Le Du Tong (1680-1731), the only remains that have been found of a Vietnamese King, will be reburied on Monday in Bai Trach Village, Xuan Quang Commune in the central province of Thanh Hoa, the place where they were accidentally discovered 52 years ago.
The remains, which has been preserved in the Viet Nam History Museum since they were unearthed, will be wrapped in new shrouds and royal robes imitating the original ones. A new coffin has also been made of Ngoc Am wood, the same material and the same size as the original, which was damaged at the excavation and has been ruined over time.
According to deputy culture minister Tran Chien Thang, the King’s remains will be put into the coffin in a solemn ceremony at 1am on Monday morning with representatives from the Central Buddhist Association as witnesses.
Artisans have been hired from Hue to remake all the personal items such as shrouds and royal robes for the body, to mimic how it was originally found.
The new mausoleum has been built by hand in the traditional style. The outer coffin will been constructed using a mixture of half-baked bricks, straw and molasses, and many other anti-moisture materials such as charcoal, roasted rice and dried tea.
A new road leading to the mausoleum has been completed. A commemorative complex will be built at the mausoleum in a total area of 5,000sq.m. King Le Du Tong was given the name Le Duy Duong and was the 22nd king of the Le dynasty ruling from 1705 to 1729. The Le dynasty, which ruled from 1428 to 1789, is famous for its founder, King Le Thai To, who liberated the country from Chinese Ming invaders.
When he came to the throne, he reduced and eliminated a number of taxes. At the time of his reign, the power of the Le dynasty was beginning to degrade. The Trinh Lords (1545-1787) held the real power over the court and the country. Lord Trinh Cuong (1709-1729) ruled at the same time as King Le Du Tong.
The country remained peaceful at this time, according to ancient historical documents, such as Kham Dinh Viet Su Thong Giam Muc (a history book with many chapters about the full history of Viet Nam, compiled by Nguyen dynasty historians, with the approval from the King).
"The dynasty did many things for the country and laws were strictly implemented. The king did not have to work hard, but his domain was kept in order thanks to important contributions made by Lord Trinh Cuong," the book wrote.
In 1729, the King abdicated the throne to his son Le Duy Phuong. Two years later, Le Du Tong died at the age of 52.

Found by farmers
The King’s remains were found in February 1958 by farmers in Bai Trach Village of Tho Xuan District, in the central province of Thanh Hoa while they were digging in a field. The outer coffin was discovered first and when they broke a corner they saw a red lacquer inner coffin trimmed with gold.
The coffin was then excavated in 1964 and brought to the Viet Nam History Museum.
When it was opened, the coffin had two bottoms, with a 10cm layer of roasted rice between them. The body was wrapped in many layers of clothes and shrouds, including eight large shrouds made of brocade, measuring 1.5m by 5m each; a small shroud made of two layers of brocade; a large royal robe with an embroidered dragon on the front and many other smaller dragons on the back and on both sleeves; two inner royal mantles; and three pairs of silk trousers.
The king’s face was covered with a shroud that has an image of a dragon in the centre.
They were the first specimens of clothing the museum ever had of Le dynasty costumes.

 

One of King Le Du Tong’s royal mantles, which was found buried with the king. After the remains are reburied on Monday, the mantle and other belongings found in the coffin will be kept at the Viet Nam History Museum.

VietNamNet/VNS

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King Le Du Tong to be brought home for burial. [SGGP]

SGGP - The remains of King Le Du Tong (1680-1731) will be buried in Bai Trach Village, Tho Xuan District of Thanh Hoa Province during a royal ceremony on January 25, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced January 21.
The funeral will be held at the Vietnam History Museum in Hanoi at 1 am on January 25 and presided over by the People’s Committee of Thanh Hoa Province, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha Central Committee, and the Le royal family.
The King’s remains will be brought to Thanh Hoa for a special ceremony at 11 am during which his coffin will be lowered into the ground.
Before arriving at the cemetery, the funeral procession will stop at the Lam Kinh historical relic, about 50 km west of Thanh Hoa city. The site is a sacred area of eminent royal tombs of former Le Kings.
King Le Du Tong was the 22nd King of the Le Dynasty. He was enthroned in 1705 and presided over a period of peace and prosperity for 24 years before passing away at age 52.
According to the Le royal family annals, the King was buried in Bo Ve Village, Dong Son District (now Thanh Hoa Town).
However, Kham dinh viet su thong giam cuong muc (General History of Vietnam by Imperial Order of the Nguyen Dynasty) said that he was buried at the Co Do royal tomb in Dong Son and later moved to the Kim Thach tomb in Loi Duong District (now covering Tho Xuan and Thuong Xuan districts).
Then in February 1958, a farmer in Bai Trach Hamlet, Tho Xuan District found what was believed to be the King’s remains while digging in his garden. The coffin was moved to the Vietnam History Museum in 1964 where it remained for the next several decades.
In 1996, the Le royal family asked the Ministry of Culture and Information (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) to bring the King’s body back home to Thanh Hoa.
After making a second request in October 2006, the President and Prime Minister gave approval to the Le family to hold a royal burial on January 25, 2010.
After nearly 46 years of being housed at the Vietnam History Museum in the capital, King Le Du Tong’s body will be brought home for burial on an area of around 5,000 square meters.

By V.Xuan – Translated Kim Khanh (SGGP)

VietNamNet Bridge - HCMC museum opens Oc Eo/Champa culture exhibits

VietNamNet Bridge 13 january 2010 - The Museum of Vietnamese History in HCM City yesterday, January 12, opened two permanent exhibits of the Oc Eo and Champa cultures.

On display are 439 ancient artefacts and sculptures made of gold, silver, copper, gems, pottery, wood, and sandstone.
The Oc Eo exhibition features remnants of tools, vases, and statues of Gods made of earth during the Oc Eo culture (between the first and sixth centuries) which were found in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta, mostly in An Giang Province.
They reveal close the delta people's trading relations with India.
The Champa exhibit has artefacts made of copper in the seventh and ninth centuries and provides an overview of Cham art until the 15th century.
The collection, along with those at the Da Nang Cham Sculpture Museum and the Museum of Vietnamese History in Ha Noi are some of the biggest collections of Champa artefacts in the world.
The two exhibits are part of a five-year Promoting Viet Nam's Museum Heritages project undertaken by Viet Nam and France.
Besides promoting the country's historical and cultural heritages, the project will also train Vietnamese officials in museum design, organisation, and management.
France is helping modernise five museums - the Museum of Ethnology in Ha Noi, Dac Lac Museum, Da Nang Cham Sculpture Museum, and the War Remnants Museum and Museum of Vietnamese History in HCM City.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News

(Viet Nam News) Poor first aid training costs lives

HA NOI — Nguyen Anh Tu, 22, was brought to Ha Noi’s Viet Duc (Viet Nam-Germany) Hospital "drowning on land" – as doctors called it.

Tu had been involved in a traffic accident while driving his motorbike on National Highway 1A from Ha Noi to Nam Dinh City.

He was choking to death because blood was pouring into his lungs. Despite frantic efforts by Dr Hoang Gia Du to open his airways, Tu died.

He died unnecessarily because no one at the scene could perform a simple tracheotomy on the young man. It’s a relatively simple technique where an incision is made in the neck when the upper airways are blocked. If it had been performed quickly his life might have been saved, Du said.

Making matters worse, Tu had to be taken to a hospital 50km away by car because there were no medical centres nearby.

The World Health Organisation said pre-hospital trauma care for victims of road traffic accidents in Viet Nam were woefully inadequate considering the fact that there were about 32 life-threatening accidents every day on the country’s roads.

"The human and financial resources available result in an enormous under-coverage," said Dr Jean-Marc Olive, WHO representative to Viet Nam.

Only five of Viet Nam’s 63 provinces and cities have a 115 paramedic service – Ha Noi and Thai Binh in the north, Hue and Da Nang in the central region, and HCM City in the south. Other areas are dependent on volunteers or local medical staff, according to WHO Viet Nam.

There are just 26 pre-hospital trauma care centres for victims of road traffic accidents in the country, according to the Ministry of Transport.

Furthermore, Do Thuy Lan, co-ordinator of NGO Counterpart International’s pre-hospital trauma care development programme, said that training in pre-hospital trauma care techniques in Viet Nam was inadequate.

"Prompt and appropriate first aid saves lives," said Lan. Road accidents account for more than 90 per cent of all deaths by water, air or land, according to Than Van Thanh, chief of the secretariat of the National Traffic Safety Committee.

Out of 9,100 accidents by boat, plane or motor vehicle in the first three quarters of this year in the country, more than 8,520 happened on the roads, according to the traffic safety committee.

Viet Duc Hospital records showed that just 5 per cent of patients injured on the country’s roads received pre-hospital care – of which just half received the appropriate medical attention.

"Late or improper first aid is the reason why the death toll is so huge," Thanh said.

The 9,100 serious accidents in the first three quarters of the year resulted in 8,190 deaths, about 96 per cent of the total death toll on land or water.

Making matters worse, Olive said that due to a shortage of ambulances, most accident victims were taken to hospital by taxi or motorbike, which often further exacerbated their injuries.

According to WHO Guidelines on pre-hospital trauma care, most deaths occurring in the first few hours after an accident are the result of airway obstruction, respiratory failure or uncontrolled haemorrhaging. WHO said if managed correctly, those deaths could be prevented.

"Prompt appropriate pre-hospital care may also reduce the incidence of long-term disability," Olive said.

A brighter future?

In a bid to minimise road deaths, the Ministry of Health has formulated a five-year plan to improve pre-hospital trauma care in the country.

Under the 2015-20 programme, paramedics, posted at first aid stations every five to six kilometres along highways, would be able to reach the scene of an accident in 10-15 minutes.

WHO is also working with the ministry to develop a standardised pre-hospital trauma care training programme for health workers, volunteers and village health workers. Initially, 3,000 people would receive medical training over the next year, Olive said.

Meanwhile, the Viet Nam Road Administration recommended that nine rescue centres should be established at accident blackspots, such as on Highway No 5 in Hai Duong and Highway No 4D in Lao Cai. Each centre, which is estimated to cost VND15 billion (US$811,000), would cover a 50km radius.

Counterpart International is also establishing a two-year pre-hospital trauma care development programme under which about 600 volunteers – taxi and xe om drivers in Ha Noi, Da Nang and Khanh Hoa Province– will be given first aid training.

The project, which will run until next June, will establish an informal 115 service, which will be dependent on local hospital first aid teams in Khanh Hoa.

The Handicap International is also setting up five pre-hospital trauma care points at accident blackspots along the highway in each district between HCM City and Dong Nai.

First aid points, staffed by volunteers and red cross members, will be completed by the end of 2011, said Thai Quoc Hung, NGO’s First Aid manager.

But to really improve pre-hospital trauma care services in Viet Nam, WHO said there should be greater investment in medical facilities. The world health body also said the 115 emergency hotline should be expanded and that there should be greater first aid training.

Olive also suggested that rapid first response teams travelling by motorbike should also be established.— VNS

by Tran Hoa and Nguyen Vu (26-11-2009)

(Picture) Interns at Kontum medical high school practise first aid. A lack of first aid training has led to an increase in road deaths in the country. — VNA/VNS Photo Tran Duc Lam

Viet Nam News: Cham ruins and conservation works

Sanctuary remains of ancient Cham people gets protection

(29-09-2009)

HUE — The remains of a 1,200-year-old Cham sanctuary unearthed in Phu Vang District in Hue will undergo major protection works costing VND560 million (US$32,000) that is likely to be completed next year.

It will get a security post, equipment to safeguard the structure and a stele providing information about it. Its foundation will be strengthened, and two guards will be posted permanently to protect it from vandalism, according to Cao Huy Hung, director of the province’s Historic and Revolutionary Museum and the project co-ordinator. Earlier this month the museum cordoned off an area of 7,300sq.m around the tower and put up markers.

The tower was found five years ago when titanium miners dug 8m into the ground. Subsequent excavations by archaeologists revealed the foundation of another structure nearby besides many religious artefacts belonging to the ancient Cham people.

The tower has been dated between the eighth and ninth centuries, making it among the earliest Cham relics discovered so far. It dates back to the same period as the My Son Tower in Quang Nam Province further south, which has been recognised as a world heritage by the United Nations’ Education, Science and Culture Organisation (UNESCO).

Situated just 100m from the sea, the tower began to lean, develop cracks and deteriorate soon after it was discovered and exposed to the elements, especially the humidity from the ocean nearby.

At the end of 2005 a steel frame was built to prop up the tower. — VNS