UXO Kills More Than 40,000 People in Vietnam Since 1975

Since 1975, bombs and mines left from the war in Vietnam killed more than 40,000 people and injured 60,000 others, mainly those of working-age and children, according to a report of the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs (MoLISA) at a workshop on sharing international experiences for strengthening support for landmine victims in 2021 held on November 26 morning. At the event, Mr. Nguyen Ba Hoa, around 800,000 tons of unexploded ordnance remains scattered across the country. Mines and bombs are still covering up to 6.1 million hectares, representing 19% of the country’s land area. In 2020, the government spent VND17.7 trillion worth of state budget to provide monthly allowances and buy health insurance cards for social protection beneficiaries, and nearly VND400 billion to support education with disabilities. At the workshop, authorities proposed solutions such as strengthening the annual information collection on landmine victims, promoting disability reports, and project to develop rehabilitation and orthopedic equipment manufacturing facilities to support victims. (Tuoi Tre-Youth)