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The Ministry of Health is determined to make more cities a healthy place to call home. Two years ago, it kicked off a pilot targeting the central city of Hue and the northern port city of Hai Phong. Now, this scheme is being expanded to more cities- with Ha Noi getting the treatment from last month. Nguyen Huy Nga, deputy director of the Ministry’s Preventative Health Care Department, spoke to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper about the project.

What will a ‘healthy’ Ha Noi be like ?

In every city we target, we ask local authorities to consider people’s health care and protection when they design or launch any policies, programmes and projects.

But each city has to implement this project in its own way.

Hue decided to focus on pollution along the Huong (Perfume) River. The authorities want river dwellers to resettle on firm ground. They are also working to treat water pollution and solid waste.

Hai Phong has moved the Hai Phong Cement Factory from the city centre to a suburban area, upgraded and developed clean markets and worked to improve water quality at Quan Ngua Lake.

In Ha Noi, the Hom Market off Hue and Tran Nhan Tong streets will be the first target of the project, with a massive clean-up slated for the area.

We will plant more trees and try to raise people’s awareness of organic products and how to use them.

Managers of enterprises and production units will have to take serious care of and encourage their employees to work safely, while schools must make health one of their prime concerns.

The benchmark set up by the World Health Organisation states that ‘healthy’ cities must meet the following criteria: make health care a priority in development projects; create a clean and healthy environment; and minimise prostitution and drug abuse.

Besides, each city is also working on their own plan to tailor the project to their own needs.

How has people’s health improved since Hai Phong and Hue kicked off their projects ?

Epidemics were reduced markedly in these two cities. The health care sector has been improved, as seen in health indexes, and less people are generally hospitalised for treatment of illness, food poisoning and environmental impacts.

Moving the Hai Phong Cement Factory out of a densely populated area has significantly improved the city’s environment. More domestic and foreign visitors now come to Hue city, as a result of positive changes in the environment and safety for visitors.

What are the main goals of this project ?

We want all urban residents to understand and obey laws on environment and health protection by the end of next year.

By 2005, about 80 per cent of city residents will be provided with piped water and half of Viet Nam’s cities will complete their work to repair and upgrade water supply and discharge networks.

As many as 70 per cent of small and medium-sized production units will apply clean production technologies. Cities will work to improve the health care network in schools and hospitals and assist production units to discover and treat occupational diseases.

We put these targets in place for many other cities, not just those implementing the ‘healthy’ city projects, because many cities are concerned about health problems.

Take HCM City as an example, the city has upgraded the Thi Nghe Canal and made great strides in improving the surrounding environment and improving people’s health. — VNS