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	<title>Vietnam Talking Points &#187; Health</title>
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	<description>Vietnamese American Online Magazine: Culture, Tech &#38; Current Affairs</description>
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		<title>Virginity Obsession and Sexual Ignorance Lead to Elective Abortion(s) in Vietnam</title>
		<link>http://talk.onevietnam.org/virginity-obsession-and-sexual-ignorance-lead-to-elective-abortions-in-vietnam/</link>
		<comments>http://talk.onevietnam.org/virginity-obsession-and-sexual-ignorance-lead-to-elective-abortions-in-vietnam/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 25 Mar 2011 13:01:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jenny K. Dang</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Current Affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Abortion]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://talk.onevietnam.org/?p=8062</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The number of elective abortions is on the rise in Vietnam.  Women are using abortion as a family planning tool, rather than family planning to avoid abortion.  Where can we begin to reduce the dramatic increase in abortions?]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/VTP-2-Virginity-Obsession-and-Sexual-Ignorance-Leads-to-Elective-Abortion-pic-of-pregnancy-test1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-8318" title="VTP-2-Virginity-Obsession-and-Sexual-Ignorance-Leads-to-Elective-Abortion-pic-of-pregnancy-test" src="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/VTP-2-Virginity-Obsession-and-Sexual-Ignorance-Leads-to-Elective-Abortion-pic-of-pregnancy-test1.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="382" /></a></p>
<p>Virginity does not generate much dispute regarding its definition.  Most will agree that virginity is the state of not having ever engaged in sexual intercourse. However, there are varying descriptions of what is considered human sexual intercourse.  In the broadest sense, it can be defined as an instance wherein any corporal extremity penetrates a bodily orifice. Penetration when involving heterosexual individuals always carries the possibility of resulting in pregnancy. Given this backdrop then, if a woman is pregnant but neither artificial insemination nor immaculate conception occurred, can she still be a virgin?</p>
<p>Apparently, the response is “yes” according to Thu, a third-year student currently studying at Ha Noi University.  In the article “Pha thai hai lan van con trinh” (“Underwent abortion twice but still a virgin”) that was published in multiple news sources in February 2011, Thu could not believe that she was pregnant because she and her partner only “touched” (&#8220;so so&#8221;) on the outside.  Thu was not prepared to be a mother and hence opted for a medical abortion (versus a surgical abortion since Thu desired to keep her hymen, and thus her virginity, in tact).  Needless to say, based on the article’s title, Thu subsequently “touched,” aborted, and maintained her virginity again.</p>
<p>Are occurrences such as Thu’s very common?  In terms of becoming pregnant from “touching,” then the cases are limited.  However, in terms of young, unmarried women undergoing an elective abortion because of an unwanted pregnancy, then the statistics are shocking.  According to data from UNFPA, the Guttmacher Institute, WHO, and the Reproductive Health Matters Journal, there are approximately one million induced abortions every year in Vietnam.  Moreover, this rate has been increasing from about 2.5 abortions per woman in 1995 to about 2.8 recently, with a higher rate in urban areas than in rural regions.</p>
<p><a href="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/VTP-2-Virginity-Obsession-and-Sexual-Ignorance-Leads-to-Elective-Abortion-chart-of-abortion-rates.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-8176" src="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/VTP-2-Virginity-Obsession-and-Sexual-Ignorance-Leads-to-Elective-Abortion-chart-of-abortion-rates-300x231.jpg" alt="" width="492" height="376" /></a></p>
<p>The high levels of elective abortions suggest that effective contraception methods and quality family planning services are lacking in Vietnam.  Moreover, a relatively conservative climate further inhibits proper discussion of sexual matters for young people.  A study reported by VietNamNet Bridge in 2009 stated that even though the abortion rate is very high, “69.7% of parents say that their children are too young to learn about sex education.”  What age would be appropriate then?  Is the age of a third-year college student like Thu still too young?</p>
<p>Given that one<a href="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/VTP-2-Virginity-Obsession-and-Sexual-Ignorance-Leads-to-Elective-Abortion-pic-of-birth-control-options.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-8177" src="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/VTP-2-Virginity-Obsession-and-Sexual-Ignorance-Leads-to-Elective-Abortion-pic-of-birth-control-options-193x300.jpg" alt="" width="193" height="300" /></a>-fifth to one-third of women who sought abortions are in this age group, earlier sex education in Vietnam is a must.  Unfortunately, awareness of contraceptives and family planning was low even amongst women who have undergone an abortion.  These women are using the abortion itself as a form of family planning.  Even amongst women who are aware of contraceptive methods, nearly 20% rely on periodic abstinence or the withdrawal method because they feared the possible side-effects or the long-term negative health impact of modern contraceptives.</p>
<p>In order to prevent increases in Vietnam’s already alarming abortion rate, there needs to be improved information and counseling regarding reproductive physiology and contraceptive options for both men and women.  Furthermore, family planning education and effective contraceptives must be available and presented to Vietnamese youth at an earlier point in life than when the pregnancy test strip is positive.</p>
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		<item>
		<title>Traditional Values: A Bittersweet Proliferator of HIV in Vietnam</title>
		<link>http://talk.onevietnam.org/traditional-values-a-bittersweet-proliferator-of-hiv-in-vietnam/</link>
		<comments>http://talk.onevietnam.org/traditional-values-a-bittersweet-proliferator-of-hiv-in-vietnam/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 15 Mar 2011 13:00:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jenny K. Dang</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Current Affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AIDS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIV]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://talk.onevietnam.org/?p=8035</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Traditional values are something we hold dear in our culture, but at what point do these values become detrimental to overall national health?  What happens when traditional values clash with emergent health epidemics, like AIDS?]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #888888;"><strong><em>Tu co chi kim, co nhan kha:</em></strong></span></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #888888;"><strong><em>Tai gia tong phu; Xuat gia tong phu; Phu tu tong tu.</em></strong></span></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #888888;"><strong><em>From ancient times, those of old have said:</em></strong></span></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #888888;"><strong><em> At home follow father; Marry follow husband; Husband die follow son.</em></strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Women in Vietnam are traditionally expected to be obedient to the men in their lives, and their actions are likewise expected to be in agreement with and beneficial to these men. Women who live accordingly are considered proper and<a href="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/bittersweet1.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-8099" title="bittersweet" src="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/bittersweet1.jpg" alt="" width="348" height="450" /></a> worthy of mention within the community because society supposedly is made better by steadfast compliance to these traditional values.  However, is there a point where traditional values should be looked down upon or prevented from being practiced?  Is there a boundary that must be drawn in regards to how much of an impact these traditional values should be allowed to affect, say, the biological vivacity of a population?</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Take, for instance, the story of nineteen-year-old Xuan in the VnExpress news article “Bi lua lay chong nhiem HIV” (“To be chosen to marry a husband infected with HIV”).  When city mother Ha learned that her son was HIV positive, Ha purposely traveled to a distant village to find a woman to marry her son.  Ha found Xuan and intentionally hid from Xuan her son’s HIV condition.  It was not until Xuan was examined by her OB/GYN that she discovered her husband’s hidden HIV status.  When asked why she did not tell Xuan, Ha replied that as a mother she must do what is best for her son, and as head-of-household she must ensure that the family’s bloodline will not be lost (mat giong).</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">This case (along with 56 similar cases in the past year) shows that it is not a lack of education that is causing the proliferation of HIV in Vietnam; rather, it is the lack of consideration for how the lives of those involved will be impacted—all for the purpose of abiding by longstanding values of what is proper for women and not terminating a family’s bloodline.  Is this acceptable – to blindly follow traditional values while disregarding HIV’s (and other infectious agents’) significant effects?  Is society supposedly better by the steadfast compliance to these traditional values?</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The answer would seem to be a resounding NO.  According to data from UNAIDS, WHO, and CIESIN, the number of people living with HIV in Vietnam has soared between 1990 and 2010 and has reached epidemic levels.  100% of Vietnam’s provinces now report cases of HIV (approximately 90% of districts and 50% of communes with 40% higher prevalence in areas with more injected drug users, female sex workers, and sexually active homosexual men).  HIV, especially once developed into AIDS, would result in a reduced labor supply through increased mortality.  Productivity, moreover, would decline as a result of HIV-related illnesses amongst those who are able to work.  Given these disadvantages, should traditional values be disregarded completely?</p>
<div class="mceTemp mceIEcenter" style="text-align: left;">
<dl>
<dt><a href="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/jgraph.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-8038" src="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/jgraph.jpg" alt="" width="624" height="194" /></a></dt>
<dd><strong>Number of People Living in Vietnam with HIV</strong></dd>
</dl>
</div>
<p style="text-align: left;">Not necessarily.  Traditional values are most definitely important in defining a culture, and sexual intimacy would only be natural between lovers.  Furthermore, HIV-positive individuals should not be shunned by society.  Nevertheless, appropriate measures should be taken to ensure that those who treasure traditional values are not cherishing them at the expense of their own health, nor that of society.</p>
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		<item>
		<title>Stress: The Pro&#8217;s and Con&#8217;s</title>
		<link>http://talk.onevietnam.org/stress-the-pros-and-cons/</link>
		<comments>http://talk.onevietnam.org/stress-the-pros-and-cons/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 01 Oct 2010 15:04:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Merrill La</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Arts & Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Op-ed]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://talk.onevietnam.org/?p=5572</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Summer has finally come to an end, and for most of us that means the start of school. But what happens when school starts? Well school life is full of homework, reading, deadlines, midterms, and finals. So where do we fit in the social life? Anywhere one would like; however, one must be alarm that [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Summer has finally come to an end, and for most of us that means the start of school. But what happens when school starts? Well school life is full of homework, reading, deadlines, midterms, and finals. So where do we fit in the social life? Anywhere one would like; however, one must be alarm that fitting in time for a little social time may push back some course loads. As time progresses, we realize that we become more and more bombarded with work that it becomes overwhelming.  For many students and also people, the term stress has been embedded into our daily life. Stress isn’t always bad. If given in small doses, stress gives you the push to perform under pressure and stimulate you to do your best. But when you’re relentlessly running in emergency mode, it becomes detrimental to ones mind and body.</p>
<p><img class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-5575" title="stress-cartoon" src="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/stress-cartoon-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></p>
<p>Stress is a normal physical and emotional response to events that make us feel threatened or upset the balance within.  When we sense danger, whether it’s imagined or actual, our body is switched into defensive gear, a process commonly known as the “fight-or-flight” response. Stressing is a way our body protect itself. In everyday life, stressing is beneficial because it allows a person to be more focused, energetic, and alert. In tight situation, stress may also assist in live saving situation. For example, it gives an individual extra strength to defend them and allows them to be more alert while driving to avoid any catastrophic accidents.</p>
<p>However beyond a certain level, stress may begin to stop being beneficial and start causing substantial damage to your health, your disposition, your efficiency, and your daily lifestyle. Stress can affect anyone of any age, which means children, adolescent, and adults. Even though the stress factor may have different origins in different age groups, one this is certain, the outcome of these events is more or less very similar. The effects of stress on the body may be categorized into short-term and long-term effects.</p>
<p>The short term effects of stress is when a person encounters a sudden threat and his body gears up to handle the situation by the ‘Fight or Flight’ Response. This response causes a few functional adjustments in the body and these adjustments will persist until the threat no longer exists. When the body does not sense any more danger, it will return to its normal state. The few functional adjustments that may be found in short term effects of stress are:</p>
<p>-                Breakdown of glycogen stores in liver and muscle to get more glucose.</p>
<p>-                Increase in the heart rate to supply more blood quickly.</p>
<p>-                Increase in the blood pressure to supply blood efficiently.</p>
<p>-                Diversion of the blood from less vital to more vital organs.</p>
<p>-                Increase in the respiratory rate to get more oxygen from the atmosphere.</p>
<p>-                Formation of more glucose from non-carbohydrate substances.</p>
<p>The long-term effects of stress occur when the stress factor is perpetual and repetitive. This will cause the body to continue the secretion of stress hormones and increase their blood levels. The body is now undergoing extra cargo due to the side effects of the perpetually high stress hormones. Some irreversible physiological vitiation of the brain and organ damage is caused by these substances. The manifestations could be</p>
<p>-                Chronic headache</p>
<p>-                Mood swings</p>
<p>-                Anxiety disorder</p>
<p>-                Substance abuse</p>
<p>-                Memory disturbances</p>
<p>-                Heart attack due increased blood pressure, sugar and cholesterol</p>
<p>-                Stroke due to similar reasons</p>
<p>-                Weight loss</p>
<p>-                Exacerbation of allergies including asthma</p>
<p>-                Irritable Bowel disease</p>
<p>-                Ischemic Bowel disease like Crohn&#8217;s disease</p>
<p>-                Decreased sexual drive</p>
<p>-                Sleeplessness</p>
<p>If you frequently find yourself feeling worn out and dumbfounded by pressure of daily life, it’s time to take action to bring your nervous system back into balance. You can protect yourself by learning how to recognize the signs and symptoms of stress and taking steps to reduce its harmful effects. After all, it happens to the best of us.</p>
<hr />References:</p>
<p>http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/stress-effects.html</p>
<p>http://www.emedicinehealth.com/stress/article_em.htm</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Smoking &amp; Khôi: A Parallel Story</title>
		<link>http://talk.onevietnam.org/smoking-khoi-a-parallel-story/</link>
		<comments>http://talk.onevietnam.org/smoking-khoi-a-parallel-story/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Aug 2010 16:00:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Brian Luong</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Current Affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Healthcare]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vietnam]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://talk.onevietnam.org/?p=4930</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Article written jointly by Phuong Vu and Brian Luong.  Phuong Vu is a staff pharmacist at Walgreens Pharmacy in Sacramento, California. He plans on becoming involved in a medical mission to Vietnam in the near future. “Mind if I smoke?” asks Khôi to his girlfriend, who sits on the other side of the table in [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: left;"><em>Article written jointly by Phuong Vu and Brian Luong.  Phuong Vu is a staff pharmacist at Walgreens Pharmacy in Sacramento, California. He plans on becoming involved in a medical mission to Vietnam in the near future. </em></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/bothuocla.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4937" title="bothuocla" src="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/bothuocla.jpg" alt="" width="440" height="220" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>“Mind if I smoke?” asks Khôi to his girlfriend, who sits on the other side of the table in a Saigon cafe.</em></strong></p>
<p>Smoking condition in Vietnam is a serious public health problem if not being addressed seriously.  For every hour we spend on OneVietnam Network, there are 5 tobacco related deaths in Vietnam.  Do you think Neil’s <a href="http://talk.onevietnam.org/the-cost-of-traffic-accidents-in-vietnam/">10,000 deaths per year on the road</a> is bad? Now, quadruple that number will give you a total estimated 40,000 caused by smoking, and this will increase to about 70,000 by 2033 if we don’t take an effective measure.  Some experts even believe this figure could be much under-reported due to deaths outside of hospitals.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>Khôi used to sit by Daddy after dinner watching him smoked.  “Con h?n Cha là nhà có phúc.”  Young Khôi would proudly imitate his every move, picked up his left over bud and started to put it in his mouth.  Khôi was 4. </em></strong></p>
<p>About half of 86 million adult males use tobacco in Vietnam. This makes the country one of the highest in the world (other countries are China, Malaysia and Laos).  Young Vietnamese school boys start to pick up the habit of smoking from as early as 13 years of age. Up to half of all smokers will die prematurely from tobacco related diseases that include cancers, heart disease, stroke, birth defect, infertility, impotence (Yes gentlemen, how cool is that?), and many more.  Ha Noi School of Public Health estimates the costs from cancer, circulatory, and respiratory diseases resulting from smoking is more than 75 million USD per year.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>Now at the age of 21, Khôi already smokes an average of  1 and 1/2 packs a day.  Today, however, being deeply sad about his father’s diagnosis of oral cancer, Khôi’s almost on his last cigarettes of the second pack.  He needs a night out, so Khôi calls his girlfriend.</em></strong></p>
<p>Although there are only 2 percents of the Vietnamese female population who smoke, second-hand smoking by these women also shares the same health risks mentioned above.   A survey conducted by the Hanoi Medial University in 2005 shows that 2/3 of Vietnamese women and more than 60 percents of school children aged 13-15 years old are regularly exposed to second-hand tobacco smoke at home and in public places.  Worldwide, of the more than 600,000 deaths caused every year by second-hand smoke, 64 percents occur in women.</p>
<p>Fortunately, there are already efforts by the Ministry of Health, World Health Organization (WHO) and World Lung Foundation (WLF) to raise awareness.  In December 2004, Vietnam ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. It has banned all forms of advertising, increased taxes on cigarettes and last year added larger warning labels to packaging.  From December 2009 to January 2010, the “Cigarettes are Eating You Alive” campaign was launched and spread through television, posters and the press.  Beginning January 1st, 2010, smoking would be prohibited in all public spaces.  In May, 2010, results from the survey of the “Cigarettes are Eating You Alive” revealed that 77 percents of Vietnamese people who had seen anti-smoking materials oppose being exposed to second-hand smoke in public places.</p>
<p>If we all wish Vietnam to be a better place in the future, then smoking is one problem must not be ignored.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>“Mind if I smoke?” asks Khôi to his girlfriend, who sits on the other side of the table.<br />
“Yes, Khôi. Please don’t!”</em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><em><br />
</em></p>
<hr /><a href="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/brochurecoverE.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4938" title="brochurecoverE" src="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/brochurecoverE.jpg" alt="" width="317" height="448" /></a><br />
Oral Cancer</p>
<p>It is no surprise that smoking can cause numerous diseases.  The insult begins  in the mouth where smoke, heat, and carcinogenic products interact directly with oral tissues.  As the ad above points out, &#8216;Tobacco causes mouth disease&#8217;.</p>
<p>In particular, oral cancer can be one of the scariest and most debilitating of diseases linked to smoking.  The Oral Cancer Foundation reports that close to 36,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral or pharyngeal cancer this year in addition to causing 8,000 deaths.  More startling is that of the 36,000 diagnosed, only half will be alive in 5 years.   <em>Surprised?</em></p>
<p><em>We&#8217;re not there yet.</em></p>
<p>The death rate for oral cancer is higher than cancers which we hear more often about &#8211; cervical cancer, Hodgkin&#8217;s lymphoma, or malignant melanoma (skin cancer).  Yet the puzzling thing is that oral cancer is &#8230; <em>treatable. </em></p>
<p><strong>Consider this:  &#8220;The death rate associated with this cancer is particularly high not because it is hard to discover or diagnose, but due to the cancer being routinely discovered late in its development.&#8221; </strong></p>
<p>If smoking can lead to oral cancer, and oral cancer is treatable, what can we do to lower the death rate?  For starters, quitting is the most absolute best way to extend one&#8217;s life and prevent the onslaught of cancer formation.   Although it may take several decades of smoking for the accumulative damage to develop into cancer, tobacco use in all its forms is at the top of the list of risk factors in individuals over 50.   Statistics show that at least 75% of those diangosed at 50 and older are tabacco users.   New data are developing but have yet to be released.   The situation worsens when tobacco use is paired with heavy alcohol use,  leading to a synergistic effect that increases the risk of cancer development by 15 times.</p>
<p>Oral cancer is treatable if caught early.  To illustrate this point, imagine the oral mucosa as a multilayered cake that is rotting away from top to bottom.  The cake perhaps can be salvaged early on by removing the top layer that has rotted.  However, over time the cake will rot throughout rendering it unsalvagable.  Oral cancer is often discovered too late when the cancer has penetrated throughout the layers of the mucosa, enabling the cancer to metastasize or break free into the blood stream where it can spread to other locations.   When this event has occured, the outcome of treatment is very poor.</p>
<p>Patients often miss early signs because oral cancer can present without pain or symptoms (or symptoms that are not readily recognizable).  It is extremely important to receive annual check ups by your dentist.  Make sure that when you come in for your 6 month recall or cleaning, you are also receiving your oral cancer screening.</p>
<div id="attachment_4939" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 349px"><a href="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/oralCancer.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-4939" title="oralCancer" src="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/oralCancer.jpg" alt="" width="339" height="334" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Maricopy Department of Public Health</p></div>
<hr /><strong>Resources and references</strong></p>
<p>WHO Viet Nam (http://www.wpro.who.int/vietnam)<br />
VINACOSH (http://www.vinacosh.gov.vn/)<br />
WORLD LUNG FOUNDATION (http://www.worldlungfoundation.org/)</p>
<p>http://www.clickkhongthuocla.vn</p>
<p>Oralcancerfoundation.org</p>
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		<title>Traditional and Conventional Agriculture, an Economic Perspective</title>
		<link>http://talk.onevietnam.org/traditional-and-conventional-agriculture-an-economic-perspective/</link>
		<comments>http://talk.onevietnam.org/traditional-and-conventional-agriculture-an-economic-perspective/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:00:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Le-Quyen Le</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business & Tech]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Agriculture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business & Economy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://talk.onevietnam.org/?p=4803</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Before the dominance of conventional agriculture, food was grown using natural fertilizers and could be considered primarily organic; this method came to be known as traditional agriculture. Conventional agriculture, which involves techniques using certain non-organic fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides and herbicides, gained a strong foothold due to the claim of higher crop yields at lower costs [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/2010.08.07-Organic-Food.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-4807" title="Young rice paddies" src="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/2010.08.07-Organic-Food-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>Before the dominance of conventional agriculture, food was grown using natural fertilizers and could be considered primarily organic; this method came to be known as traditional agriculture. Conventional agriculture, which involves techniques using certain non-organic fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides and herbicides, gained a strong foothold due to the claim of higher crop yields at lower costs than traditional techniques. In recent years, organic food has experienced a sort of revival in developed countries and continues to have strong growth, but the idea has yet to gain much traction in Vietnam and the domestic market for organic food remains very limited. Traditional agricultural production in Vietnam was reintroduced in the 1990s with the production of organic tea and spices, and just as it is mostly supported by foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and export companies today, much of that organic produce is exported from the country.</p>
<p>Agricultural production occupies over 13 million hectares of land and contributes to 20-25% of Vietnam’s GDP. In 2007, it was reported that only 22,000 hectares (or 0.17%) of agricultural land was dedicated to <a title="Development and Perspective of Organic Agriculture in Vietnam" href="http://www.goorganic2009.com/PPT/PPTfiles/KI-22%20Le%20Thanh%20Hoa.pdf" target="_blank">traditional agriculture</a>. While Vietnam does promote safe and semi-organic food for the domestic markets, there is a lack of promotion of organic food within those campaigns. NGOs and export companies, who cannot rely on government regulations to enforce the quality of the produce, must set up their own certification standards and services.</p>
<p>Some of the main benefits of traditional agriculture are that the process is less damaging on the environment, the techniques help to minimize the intake of pesticide residues, and the yield may potentially be the same as yields seen in low-intensity agriculture that are being used in developing countries. For Vietnam, where agriculture continues to contribute significantly to the country’s GDP, traditional agriculture has the potential to grow within the industry in general and domestic markets in particular. Since the supply of organic food is rather limited because production occurs on a smaller scale, prices are higher for organic food than produce derived from conventional agriculture, which compensates farmers for higher input costs.</p>
<p>However, the traditional agriculture subsector in Vietnam faces several major constraints. While the government continues to develop standards and methods of certification for this emerging subsector, there is limited emphasis on promoting traditional agriculture, leaving farmers with little knowledge about the trade-offs of traditional and conventional agriculture. On the demand side, as traditional agriculture continues to be produced on a smaller scale relative to conventional agriculture, higher prices may leave organic food accessible only to the affluent while a majority of the domestic population cannot afford organic food. Since both traditional and conventional agriculture exhibits economic values and challenges, prudence should be taken as Vietnam decides on maintaining the status quo or moving towards more traditional agriculture.</p>
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		<title>The Cost of Traffic Accidents in Vietnam</title>
		<link>http://talk.onevietnam.org/the-cost-of-traffic-accidents-in-vietnam/</link>
		<comments>http://talk.onevietnam.org/the-cost-of-traffic-accidents-in-vietnam/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 22 Jun 2010 16:00:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Neil Nguyen</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Current Affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Infrastructure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[statistics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[traffic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vietnam]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://talk.onevietnam.org/?p=4002</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Natural disasters happen everywhere unpredictably; there is not much that we can do about it yet. However, deaths caused by preventable accidents are among the most disheartening to me. In Vietnam, preventable accidents are the cause of more than 10,000 deaths every year. This number is unnecessarily high and has caused more than just pain and grieves for [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="mceTemp mceIEcenter" style="text-align: left;">Natural disasters happen everywhere unpredictably; there is not much that we can do about it yet. However, deaths caused by preventable accidents are among the most disheartening to me. In Vietnam, preventable accidents are the cause of more than 10,000 deaths every year. This number is unnecessarily high and has caused more than just pain and grieves for the ones who are involved and their families. Every year, Vietnam loses 10,000 productive members of society who could be among the brightest of the nation and who could bring improvements to Vietnam.   (For more information on different methods of going around Vietnam, read VTP&#8217;s article on  <a href="http://talk.onevietnam.org/how-do-you-go-about-in-vietnam/">Transportation Methods in Vietnam</a>)</div>
<div id="attachment_4044" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 514px"><a href="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/saigon-traffic.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-4044 " title="saigon traffic" src="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/saigon-traffic.jpg" alt="" width="504" height="337" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Picture from http://picasaweb.google.com/philnanp/Vietnam1BangkokSaigonMekongToDalat#</p></div>
<p>To improve this situation, there are lots of steps to be taken. However, the first step must be understanding the problem. This suggests that the more data we have, the better we can analyze and improve the situation. Let&#8217;s take a look at some of the available statistics done by the professors at the University of Transportation and Communication in Vietnam:</p>
<p><a href="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/traffic-1.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4003" title="traffic 1" src="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/traffic-1-e1276973432193.png" alt="" width="504" height="312" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/traffic-2.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4004" title="traffic 2" src="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/traffic-2-e1276973503106.png" alt="" width="400" height="234" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/traffic-3.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4005" title="traffic 3" src="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/traffic-3-e1276973536629.png" alt="" width="600" height="246" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/traffic-4.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4006" title="traffic 4" src="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/traffic-4-e1276973565911.png" alt="" width="540" height="285" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/traffic-5.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4007" title="traffic 5" src="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/traffic-5-e1276973594425.png" alt="" width="500" height="295" /></a></p>
<p>The statistics only show some preliminary looks at Vietnam and its infrastructure problem. This could be a great opportunity for some consulting firm to construct data and for investors to invest in Vietnam&#8217;s infrastructure since a lot of other businesses are looking for expansion in Vietnam at the moment.</p>
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		<slash:comments>20</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Congressional Report on Agent Orange in Vietnam</title>
		<link>http://talk.onevietnam.org/congressional-report-on-agent-orange-in-vietnam/</link>
		<comments>http://talk.onevietnam.org/congressional-report-on-agent-orange-in-vietnam/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Mar 2010 07:06:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>James Bao</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Philanthropy & NGOs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[agent orange]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://talk.onevietnam.org/?p=2674</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The official name of the report is "Vietnamese Victims of Agent Orange and US - Vietnam Relations" and it is written by Michael Martin for the Congressional Research Service in May 2009.  The report provides a straight-forward and data-supported view of the effects of Agent Orange in Vietnam and is a must read for anyone looking closely at the topic.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Screen-shot-2010-03-22-at-11.54.32-PM.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2678" title="Congressional Report on Agent Orange" src="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Screen-shot-2010-03-22-at-11.54.32-PM.png" alt="Congressional Report on Agent Orange" width="422" height="265" /></a>A few months ago, we wrote an article on <a href="http://talk.onevietnam.org/understanding-agent-orange/">what Agent Orange is</a> and an overview of the health effects of Agent Orange on the people of Vietnam and their children.  In the article, we sited a very important document, a Congressional report on Agent Orange in Vietnam.  The official name of the report is &#8220;Vietnamese Victims of Agent Orange and US &#8211; Vietnam Relations&#8221; and it is written by Michael Martin for the Congressional Research Service in May 2009.  The report provides a straight-forward and data-supported view of the effects of Agent Orange in Vietnam and is a must read for anyone looking closely at the topic.</p>
<p>Many of you have been asking and searching for the report.  We have uploaded it here for your convenience.</p>
<p><span><strong>Download:</strong> <a href="http://talk.onevietnam.org/files/Congressional_Research_Service_Vietnamese_Victims_2009.pdf">United States Congressional Report on Agent Orange in Vietnam <img style="border: none;" title="PDF" src="http://onevietnam.org/g/document-pdf-text.png" alt="Download Report" width="16" height="16" /></a> </span></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Understanding Agent Orange</title>
		<link>http://talk.onevietnam.org/understanding-agent-orange/</link>
		<comments>http://talk.onevietnam.org/understanding-agent-orange/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 04 Feb 2010 03:38:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>James Bao</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Arts & Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Current Affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[agent orange]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dioxin]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://talk.onevietnam.org/?p=2027</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Few people in generation Y and Z understand Agent Orange and its effects.  Here, we delve into Agent Orange 101 to understand what it is, the effect it has on health, and what is currently being done about it.  Please be advised, the pictures can be upsetting.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceTemp" style="text-align: justify;">
<dl id="attachment_2038" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 311px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a href="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Agent-orange-deformities-vietnam.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-2038" title="Agent Orange deformities in Vietnam" src="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Agent-orange-deformities-vietnam.jpg" alt="Agent Orange deformities in Vietnam" width="301" height="415" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd">Source: Mother Jones Magazine; Wikipedia</dd>
</dl>
</div>
<p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">For the generation that lived through the Vietnam War, Agent Orange is a topic mired my controversy and debate.  In recent years, many programs have emerged to tackle the issue, as our own Brian Luong reported in <a title="US, Vietnam face Agent Orange legacy" href="http://talk.onevietnam.org/us-vietnam-face-agent-orange-legacy/" target="_blank">a post months ago</a>.  However, we have come to realize that for many, if not most, of those born in the generations after the war, Agent Orange has no meaning.  Few understand what it is and even less know about its effects.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Here, we want to delve into Agent Orange 101 to understand what it is, the impact it made, and what is currently being done about it.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>AGENT ORANGE 101<br />
</strong></span><em>(Note: Facebook readers, please <a title="Understanding Agent Orange" href="http://talk.onevietnam.org/understanding-agent-orange/">click here for article with pictures</a>)</em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong> </strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>What is Agent Orange? </strong>Agent Orange is a chemical used by the U.S. Army in the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1971 to remove forest cover, destroy crops, and disrupt agriculture food production.  It is called &#8220;Agent Orange&#8221; because of the orange band that identifies the barrel the chemical came in.  There were also Agents Purple, Green, and Pink.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>What&#8217;s Bad About It? </strong>The production of the chemical created a useless but extremely dangerous byproduct named TCDD, more commonly called Dioxin.  Dioxin is poisonous to humans and has been shown to cause serious diseases and deformities to those directly exposed to it and to their children.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>How Widespread Was It? </strong>The estimates vary.  According to a congressional report, 2.1 to 4.8 million people were directly exposed to Agent Orange.  Below is a map of areas in Vietnam sprayed with herbicide:</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceTemp" style="text-align: justify;">
<dl id="attachment_2029" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 433px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a href="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Screen-shot-2010-02-03-at-6.35.27-PM.png"><img class="size-full wp-image-2029" title="Screen shot 2010-02-03 at  6.35.27 PM" src="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Screen-shot-2010-02-03-at-6.35.27-PM.png" alt="From US Congressional Report: Vietnamese Victim of Agent Orange,  May 2009" width="423" height="620" /></a></dt>
</dl>
<dl id="attachment_2029" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 433px;">
<dd class="wp-caption-dd">From US Congressional Report: Vietnamese Victim of  Agent Orange, May 2009</dd>
</dl>
</div>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The report states that between 1961 and 1971, 12 million gallons of Agent Orange was sprayed over nearly 10% of South Vietnam.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The Impact:</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The chemical have been shown to cause serious skin diseases as well as a vast variety of cancers in the lungs, larynx, and prostate.  Other effects include cleft palate, mental disabilities, hernias, and extra fingers and toes.  The scariest impact is that the disease and deformities caused by the chemical can span across generations.</p>
<div class="mceTemp" style="text-align: justify;">
<dl id="attachment_2034" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 577px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a href="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/A_vietnamese_Professor_is_pictured_with_a_group_of_handicapped_children.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-2034" title="Agent Orange Effect on  Children" src="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/A_vietnamese_Professor_is_pictured_with_a_group_of_handicapped_children.jpg" alt="Agent Orange Effect on Children" width="567" height="391" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd">Photo by Alexis Duclos</dd>
</dl>
</div>
<p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>By the numbers:</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">- 2.1 to 4.8 million affected<br />
- 400,000 deaths and disabilities<br />
- 500,000 children born with birth defects</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>What Happened After:</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">A series of lawsuits came about when people started realizing and experiencing the effects of Agent Orange.  Those lawsuits culminated into a class action lawsuit in the 1980&#8242;s by U.S. Veterans versus the chemical companies that produced Agent Orange.  There were 37 companies involved.  The major ones were Dow Chemical, Monsanto (now Solutia), Diamond Shamrock, Hercules, and Uniroyal.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In 2005, a similar lawsuit was filed by the Vietnamese Victims of Agent Orange against the chemical companies that produced the defoliant/herbicides.  However, the same judge from the 1984 trial dismissed the lawsuit, the reason being “that the use of these chemicals during the war, although they were toxic, did not in his opinion fit the definition of ‘chemical warfare’ and therefore did not violate international law.&#8221;</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In 2009, the US Supreme Court once again dismissed the lawsuit of Vietnamese Victims of Agent Orange.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>What Now?</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In recently years, numerous programs have sprung up to help decontaminate affected areas as well as provide care and  compensation for victims.  In 2007, President Bush passed a bill that allocated $3 million in funding to remedy &#8220;dioxin hotspots.&#8221;  In 2009, President Obama signed a bill to double that aid, ensuring $6 million to the program.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><em>Personal Note:</em></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">There are numerous efforts by NGOs, like East Meets West Foundation, that spread awareness and rally our community to tackle the issue head-on.  The fact remains that there are hundreds of thousands of people in Vietnam still suffering from the effects of Agent Orange.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Personally, I believe this issue should be kept free from politics.  At the end of the day, there are people suffering and too few hands helping.  It is an ongoing humanitarian issue and our resources should not be wasted litigating the past.  If you are interested in helping out or raising awareness, I work with several groups trying to do just that.  Feel free to contact me, James Bao, at jhbao @ onevietnam.org.</p>
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		<title>Young Vietnamese Doctor Battles Lymphoma</title>
		<link>http://talk.onevietnam.org/young-vietnamese-doctor-battles-leukemia/</link>
		<comments>http://talk.onevietnam.org/young-vietnamese-doctor-battles-leukemia/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 17 Jan 2010 16:12:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Uyen Nguyen</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Current Affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bone marrow transplant]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cancer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Healthcare]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kemotherapy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[leukemia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[physician]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://talk.onevietnam.org/?p=1874</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Viet Lam is a 37-year-old doctor from Michigan who is of Vietnamese and Chinese descent.  She has B-cell lymphoma and is in urgent need of a bone marrow transplant.  She is currently being treated at Stanford Hospital in the Bay Area, and without the transplant she will surely not survive.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Viet Lam is a 37-year-old doctor from Michigan who is of Vietnamese and Chinese descent.  She has B-cell lymphoma and is in urgent need of a bone marrow transplant.  She is currently being treated at Stanford Hospital in the Bay Area, and without the transplant she will surely not survive.</p>
<p>Here is her story:</p>
<blockquote><p>I would like to introduce myself and ask for help in search of a potential cure.  My name is Viet Lam and I am 37 years old.  I am grateful for the many wonderful opportunities that were given to me.  I was born and lived in Vietnam for eleven years before my two siblings and I defected on a small boat.  After refugee camps, we settled in the United States of America.  Through the generosity and the kindness of many people, I graduated from college and went on to obtain a medical degree.</p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p>Practicing internal medicine in California allowed me to serve a diverse community.  Yet, I did not truly grasp what my patients and their families go through until May 2007 when unexpectedly, I was diagnosed with an advanced aggressive Large B-cell Lymphoma.  How could it be possible when I led such an active life?  I did not have significant symptoms, except intense itching.  After going through the usual emotional stages, I was determined to overcome this obstacle.  With the help of a great medical team and loved ones, I successfully went through eight cycles of R-CHOP chemotherapy.  Equipped with a new life perspective, I lived each day to its fullest.  In 2009, a wave of suspicion and fear crashed over me when the same intense itching and new profound fatigue hit me.  It was confirmed that I had widespread recurrence.  My determination and optimism did not reward me with a remission after an additional three cycles of R-ICE chemotherapy.    I do not have a matched donor in my family, like 70% of patients needing a marrow transplant.  Therefore, my only chance for a potential cure is an unrelated donor match.</p>
<p>My Chinese Vietnamese ethnicity provides me not only a unique life perspective, but it also makes it much more difficult to find a match. This is why I am asking you, particularly those from a Non-Caucasian background, to consider being a potential donor. There is a tremendous and urgent need for thousands of people who continually hope for a miracle.  I am encouraged and hopeful that we can expand our national registry and particularly those of under-represented backgrounds.  Through your awareness and support, I believe that we can both close the registry gap and provide a second chance at life for those thousands of patients.  I thank you for learning more about the National Marrow Donor Program and for the gift of life.</p></blockquote>
<p>Viet’s online journal at <a href="http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/vietlam">Caring Bridge</a> highlights her struggles with  lymphoma and her call for help for herself and others in her shoes.  For Asians, and particularly Vietnamese, the registry of bone marrow donors is dismally small.  <a href="http://www.ocweekly.com/2009-08-27/news/leukemia-bone-marrow-matthew-nguyen/">Orange County Weekly News</a> recently published an article highlighting the plight of Asian Americans in need of bone marrow transplants and the shortage of Asian donors.</p>
<p>If you would like to help Viet and lymphoma/leukemia patients by becoming a donor, the National Marrow Donor Program has a program called <a title="Be the Match" href="http://www.marrow.org/JOIN/Join_Now_Sponsored/join_now_sponsored.html">Be the Match</a> that can send you a registration kit for you to become a donor.  The registration kit is free of charge, which will be sent to you once you have filled out an online questionnaire.</p>
<p>Please lend a hand in helping Viet and lymphoma/leukemia patients of Vietnamese descent by spreading the word and expanding the registry of donors.</p>
<p><em>Special thanks to David Pham of UCSF for sharing this story with us.</em></p>
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		<title>Volunteer in Vietnam: Medical, Educational Missions and Outreach (M.E.M.O.)</title>
		<link>http://talk.onevietnam.org/philanthropy-feature-medical-educational-missions-and-outreach-memo/</link>
		<comments>http://talk.onevietnam.org/philanthropy-feature-medical-educational-missions-and-outreach-memo/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 01 Dec 2009 07:46:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Brian Luong</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Current Affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Op-ed]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Philanthropy & NGOs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[medical]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mission]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Philanthropy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://talk.onevietnam.org/?p=1413</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[11.30.09 -by Guest Blogger: Steven V. Pham, a 2nd year biochemistry major and premed at UCLA, is the President/Founder of the MEMO UCLA branch, part of a larger MEMO group. I was born in America and had never visited the home of my parents. To the Vietnamese community, I was “Viet Kieu,” a Vietnamese expatriate, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>11.30.09 -<em>by Guest Blogger: Steven V. Pham, a 2nd year biochemistry major and premed at UCLA, is the President/Founder of the MEMO UCLA branch, part of a larger MEMO group.<br />
</em></p>
<p>I was born in America and had never visited the home of my parents. To the Vietnamese community, I was “<em>Viet Kieu</em>,” a Vietnamese expatriate, and walking around the country, people reminded me of my status. It made this first trip to Vietnam difficult: I no longer completely fit someplace, to one people, my family and I are immigrants, and to another, I am American.</p>
<p>I went to Vietnam for the first time this summer of 2009 with a medical mission trip named “Medical, Educational Missions and Outreach.” Together, a group of students and doctors had the opportunity to go to hold free clinics to provide medical help and orphanages to provide financial help. For two weeks, we volunteered in Vietnam, but it was not until the fifth day that I truly felt at home in Vietnam.</p>
<p>That day, I was still afraid, afraid of not being accepted, of being stared at, treated differently. We were going to an orphanage and I knew there would be a language barrier. I was anxious about what was to come.</p>
<p>The day we went to the orphanage, it was during the Vietnamese tropical storms. Never in my life had I seen rain come down so hard. It was only noon and the entire countryside was dark gray and gloomy.</p>
<p>We ran from the bus to the Buddhist temple, holding umbrellas, backpacks, and ponchos over our heads. When we got there, the monks stood on the wet floor barefoot, smiling at our arrival. As we looked anxiously around, we were told that the orphans were still at school, that it would be an hour before they returned.</p>
<p>While we waited, the monks cheerfully stood by us making sure we were comfortable. One began to talk to some of the volunteers and me about the orphanage and his life. Because I could only understand and not speak Vietnamese, I merely listened to his wisdom. As the conversation began to go deeper into ideals about forgiveness and friendship, I felt calm; the heavy rhythmic rain behind his words separated me from my fears and doubts. The monk never acknowledged our differences, only our similarities. Our conversation ended when the children arrived. Their bodies were soaked from the heavy rain and they greeted us with a bow. I had faced the judgmental sneers and comments in Saigon, but here, we were greeted with hospitality and welcome. I felt at home and the purpose of this mission trip came to me: we were helping our own people, to help them get past the hardships of life. I was no longer a foreigner in this temple. As we left, they stood in the rain and waved to us goodbye, giving us each a small Vietnamese dumpling as a parting gift. As I ate the snack on the way back to our hotel, my body felt happily warm and comfortable, whether it was the dumpling or the experience, my mind already had the answer.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a rel="attachment wp-att-1428" href="http://talk.onevietnam.org/philanthropy-feature-medical-educational-missions-and-outreach-memo/memo/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1428" title="memo" src="http://talk.onevietnam.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/memo.png" alt="memo" width="691" height="192" /></a></p>
<p>MEMO Mission 2007:</p>
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<p style="padding-top: 0pt;">There are many other wonderful philanthropy projects featured on VTP. Please check them out under <a href="../category/cool-programs/">Initiatives</a> category</p>
<p style="padding-top: 0pt;">&#8212;</p>
<p>MEDICAL MISSION: On September 2009, a group of doctors, health professionals, and student volunteers will travel to Vietnam to hold free health clinics in villages in Binh Dinh. We will conduct preliminary needs assessment, administer vitamins for the severely malnourished population, treat patients to the highest ethical standard, and sponsor referrals to those with needs beyond our capabilities.</p>
<p>HOPE PROJECT: Through this project we hope to give children an opportunity to have a future. Funds raised will be used to help orphanages provide the necessary healthcare for these children in addition to sheltering and caring for them. Funds will also be used to buy school supplies, clothing, and provide an education to these children.</p>
<p>SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM: There are 21.6 million people in Vietnam living in rural poverty. The only way they can rise from their current living conditions is by attaining a good education, however, many children are unable to because of lack of money. Their families cannot afford to keep their children in school and they need to beg in the streets. Please consider sponsoring a child and helping them escape poverty. A donation of only $60 will allow a child to stay in school for an entire year.</p>
<p style="padding-bottom: 0pt;">HEART PROGRAM: We will bring surgeons to Vietnam to provide children with congenital heart disease with life saving surgery. Last year we were able provide surgery to 3 children that could not afford treatment. They are now living normal lives.</p>
<p style="padding-bottom: 0pt;">For more information, please contact <a title="mailto:MEMOatUCLA@gmail.com" href="mailto:MEMOatUCLA@gmail.com">MEMOatUCLA@gmail.com</a>.</p>
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