Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Labour, Invalids andSocial Affairs (MoLISA) held a press conference on March 28 to update the mediaon the unexploded ordnance (UXO) contamination and the settlement of post-warUXO consequences in Vietnam.

The event took place on the threshold of theInternational Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action (April 4).

MoLISA reported that Vietnam is one of the mostUXO contaminated countries in the world. It is estimated that about 800,000tonnes of UXOs were left across the country after the war ended, mostly in thecentral region. Some 6.13 million hectares of land are polluted with orsuspected of being polluted with UXOs, accounting for 18.82 percent of thecountry’s total area.

Since 1975, UXO incidents have killed more than40,000 people and injured 60,000 others, most of whom were breadwinners oftheir families or children.

According to the Sapper High Command, the USarmy used more than 15.3 million tonnes of explosives during the war inVietnam, about 5 percent of them remain unexploded.

Since the war was over in 1975, the Party andState have considered the settlement of post-war UXO consequences as an urgent,regular and long-term task. They have also paid attention to assistance to UXOvictims to help them integrate into the community.

Deputy Director of the MoLISA Department ofSocial Assistance To Duc said UXO victims are defined as persons withdisabilities caused by bomb and mine accidents. Therefore, support for UXOvictims is combined with policies for people with disabilities, including theLaw on Persons with Disabilities, the Government’s Decree 136/2013/ND-CP onsupport for people subject to social assistance, and the project on disabledpeople assistance.

MoLISA has instructed localities to providetraining and jobs for UXO victims, offer treatment, and help the targeted groupto integrate into the community. It has also worked with the Ministry ofEducation and Training to promote special education for the victims, he noted.

Pointing out shortcomings in support provision,Duc said policies for the disabled should continue to be carried out in aneffective manner while it is necessary to expand support services and socialwork centres, including setting up hotlines through which UXO victims can askfor help when they need. Hospital and function rehabilitation centres, alongwith vocation training and job creation, also need to be developed.

A ceremony marking the International Day forMine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action is scheduled to take place incentral Quang Nam province on April 4. An exchange programme will also be heldin Hanoi later the same day by the association for supporting Vietnamese UXO victims.-VNA