Programme helps bring smile to children with lip, palate deformities
A cleft lip and palate surgery programme was kicked off in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak on October 27 by Operation Smile Vietnam and the provincial Fund for Children.
A cleft lip and palate surgery programme opens in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak on October 27 , helping to bring smile to children with lip, palate deformities (Photo: VNA)
Dak Lak (VNA)𝔍 – A cleft lip and palate surgeryprogramme was kicked off in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak on October 27 by OperationSmile Vietnam and the provincial Fund for Children.
The programme, now in its seventh year, is expected to provide screening for 300 children from five months old and give free surgeries and treatment for 100 children with each case costs up to eight million VND (326USD). In addition, the patients will be supported with travel and accommodationexpenses during surgery and treatment. The estimated cost of the programme is about 800 million VND (33,000 USD). Speaking at the programme's opening, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Labour, Invalids and Social AffairsPham Phuong said that since 2006, Operation Smile Vietnamhas sponsored surgery costs for children with maxillofacial deformities in theprovince. In particular, from 2014 to now, the organisation has coordinatedwith the provincial Fund for Children to provide checkups and operations for nearly1,000 children with lip and palate deformities, at a total cost of over six billionVND. The Fund for Children of Dak Lak has implemented the cleft lip and palate surgery programme since 2002. Over the last two decades, it has sponsored 25 direct consultation programmes in caring for sick children frombirth and after surgery. Besides, 2,238 poor, near-poor, and disadvantagedchildren have received financial support for orthopedic surgery and 5,252 children have received free medical examination in 15 districts, towns, cities with a totalcost of more than 6.3 billion VND thanks to the fund./.
The National Children's Hospital cooperated with experts from the Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation (NCF) in Taiwan (China) to provide free examinations and surgeries for children with complicated maxillofacial deformities from December 4 to December 7.
A free-of-charge cleft palate operation programme, with the participation of doctors from Germany, is taking place in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue from March 1 to 10, supporting children in need from across the nation.
In Vietnam’s case, she said, President Ho Chi Minh demonstrated his strategic vision by founding the revolutionary press a century ago. The late leader understood the press's role not only as a means to reflect the country’s realities but also as a powerful tool to strengthen national unity and inspire the resistance wars and national construction process.
In recent interviews granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s reporters in Mexico, prominent figures reflected on the press’s legacy and its global influence.
VietnamPlus e-newspaper of the VNA clinched an A prize in the “Outstanding Press Product” category for its immersive 3D multimedia project, “Epic of Reunification,” a groundbreaking blend of storytelling and technology. The VNA won another A prize for its eye-catching exhibition booth.
Today, the press for foreign service has evolved into a distinct, irreplaceable force, bridging Vietnam with the world and portraying a nation that is stable, peace-loving, and fully integrated into the international community.
At a review conference held on June 21, Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Van Sinh praised the province’s scientific, coordinated, and flexible approach. He noted that the early completion reflects the strong commitment of local authorities, the business community, philanthropists, and residents in improving housing conditions for disadvantaged groups.
The VNA delegation, led by General Director Vu Viet Trang, actively participated in the event, engaging in both professional and diplomatic activities.
In the context where AI dominates and produces vast volumes of content, the only sustainable path forward for journalism is to focus on high-quality content and core values. Journalism must redefine its mission - not to report the fastest, but to provide the most profound and trustworthy value.
Granma and the VNA have great potential for cooperation, especially in sharing content regularly, so that VNA products are published on Granma platforms and vice versa, thereby helping Cuban and Vietnamese people access true information and gain a deep understanding of each other's country and people.
During his stay in China’s Guangzhou city from 1924 to 1927 to prepare for the establishment of a Communist Party to lead Vietnam’s revolution, President Ho Chi Minh founded “Thanh nien” newspaper and released its first issue on June 21, 1925.
Vietnam and Cambodia are hoped to strengthen their robust collaboration across various sectors, particularly in resolving remaining border issues to transform the border area into a zone of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development.
The strategic product, managed and operated by the Vietnam News Agency Digital Media Centre (VNA Media), is an official channel for popularising the Party and State’s information and documents as well as delivering mainstream and trustworthy news to both domestic and international audiences through various kinds of multimedia formats.
Since President Ho Chi Minh founded Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper in 1925, the Vietnamese revolutionary press has become the voice of the people. During the resistance war against the colonialists, journalists took great personal risks to inspire patriotism and the will of rising up against foreign invaders.
The total investment exceeded 319 billion VND (12.2 million USD), including over 261 billion VND from the state budget and 57.5 billion VND mobilised from businesses, organisations, and individuals.
The Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang is intensifying efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing as part of the country’s goal of having the European Commission’s “yellow card” warning lifted.
Throughout its 80-year history, the VNA has remained at the forefront of information dissemination. It has consistently delivered timely, accurate, and objective reports on both domestic and international events, serving the Party’s leadership, the State’s management, and the public’s demand for official news.
With strong support from local authorities, businesses, organisations, and residents, the province has successfully built or repaired 10,707 homes for disadvantaged households, including war veterans, families of martyrs, ethnic minority people, and low-income residents.
Throughout its resistance against colonialists and imperialists, Vietnam developed a revolutionary press that has served as a benchmark for just and legitimate causes worldwide.
Founded in 1842, the Vienna Philharmonic is regarded as a cultural ambassador of Austria, with prestigious conductors like Mahler and Karajan who shape its legacy. Its New Year’s Concert, broadcast to over 90 countries annually, stands as a global symbol of classical music excellence.
A cleft lip and palate surgery programme opens in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak on October 27 , helping to bring smile to children with lip, palate deformities (Photo: VNA) 
