B: We are at the beginning of our autumn and the weather has cooled down compared to several weeks ago. The average temperature is around 30 DC during the day and 23 DC at night in Hanoi.

A: September is the transition time between summer and autumn, so the weather is cooler and more comfortable. Although the temperature is still high, the heat is not as extreme as in June and July and there is less sunshine. It’s getting dark at about 6 pm. This pleasant weather of cool breeze, soft sunlight, and clear blue sky will last until November. Then it will be the usual chilly, humid winter. In winter, Hanoi is quite cold and temperatures can fall below 10 DC.

Hoan Kiem lake in autumn

B: This is the best time of the year. The next best is spring from March to April. Hanoi will celebrate the 60^th anniversary of its liberation on October 10. This weather is favorable for the various activities in anticipation of the celebration - book fairs, music festivals, exhibitions, and public performances. VOV will have a special program on Friday to mark this event. We’ll reflect the festive atmosphere in Vietnam and share some facts about Hanoi’s history. 

A: I’m reading an inspiring letter from Christopher Lewis of England. He has been listening to VOV for a decade. Lewis says he tunes in to VOV as often as possible and always finds the program interesting. “I would like to say that VOV has excellent news coverage, not only domestic but also international. Each story is covered in depth and delivered very well. The Sunday show was, as always, very interesting and remains among my favorite features on VOV, along with the Letter Box. I’m always interested in hearing other listeners’ questions, reception reports, and also the music you play in the program.”

Young sticky rice is a specialy of Hanoi in autumn

B: Thank you very much Lewis for your complement and your support for VOV over the years. Lewis told us about his passion for shortwave which is shared by many of our listeners. “I will say that I’m happy that VOV is continuing to transmit to its audience via shortwave. Please continue to do so in the future, as it is a tool vital to your station’s purpose. Many international broadcasters have chosen to discontinue broadcasting on shortwave for various reasons ranging from budget constraints to the general, and, in my honest opinion, misguided view that shortwave is no longer a medium used by a worldwide audience. Shortwave remains a very much used means of communications, with some broadcasters even expanding their use. It’s nice to just switch on your radio receiver and tune in to VOV. Shortwave also encourages listeners to write to the station and when submitting reception reports, proves that people are actually listening to the transmission and taking in what is being said.”

A: Despite competition from other means of communication, shortwave broadcast has maintained a stable number of listeners. On existing infrastructure, VOV has diversified and improved the program contents to make the best use of shortwave. As long as we have many shortwave fans like you we will keep on with our work. This week we got an email from Mitul Kansai of India. He said he was excited when his first letter to VOV was published on our website. Kansai wants to know if medical care is free to Vietnamese citizens? What steps have the Vietnamese citizens taken to protect the interests of old people?

Children under 6 have 100% free medical checks and treatment

B: Under Vietnamese law, children under 6 years old receive 100% free medical check-ups and standard treatment at local medical centers. In circumstances which require special treatment, the child can get at least 30% covered by medical insurance.

A: Children receive free vaccinations under the national expanded program of immunization called EPI. Since 1985, EPI has used 6 vaccines to protect children under 1 year old from tuberculosis, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio and measles.  Since 1997, EPI has added Hepatitis B, Japanese Encephalitis, Cholera, and Typhoid vaccines. Some of the vaccines are administered only in high risk areas. Japanese Encephalitis vaccine is provided free in 532 districts, Cholera vaccine in the province of Thua Thien – Hue, and Typhoid vaccine in An Giang, Kien Giang and Dien Bien province.

B:  The government provides medical insurance for poor and near-poor households. Children with congenital heart disease get free surgery, food and travel expenses.  

A: The Ministry of Health has expanded health check-ups and treatment for older citizens through a range of projects.  The National Committee on Aging reports that all people 80 and older, and people from poor households, ethnic groups, or disadvantaged regions receive a monthly social allowance and free health insurance.

B: The Viet Nam Association of the Elderly has partnered with the health ministry to provide health check-ups and treatment to more than 1.5 million old people with eye-related diseases.  In addition to social pensions, old people get other benefits, such as a 15% discount for traffic tickets and services, and a 20% discount for visiting cultural or historic relics, museums, nature attractions or doing physical exercise at a sports complex.

Senior citizens do morning exercise in the park

A: Free medical care and social policies for old people is a broad topic and we’ll bring it up again in another program. Here I have an email from S.B Sharma of India. He says he listened to the radio again after a long vacation. It was a Navratri and Durga Puja celebration. In this festival people fast
for nine days and nights, eating only fruits and juice and dry food and worshipping the goddess Durga.

B: Thank you, Sharma, for telling us about an important Hindu celebration in India. Durga, meaning "the inaccessible or "the invincible", is the most popular incarnation of Devi Gita and one of the main forms of the Goddess Shakti in the Hindu pantheon. Sharma said he listened to VOV on October 6 at 1600 UTC on 7220khz with the usual good reception. The Current Affairs was informative, Sharma said. “The Current Affairs described the relations of Vietnam and Vanuatu. From your program I learned that Vanuatu is a country of 83 islands with a total are of 12,000 square kilometres. Small-scale agriculture and fishing are the main sources of income. Thanks for giving such great information about Vietnam and its friend countries.”

A:  Sharma, your reception report is sufficiently precise for us to issue a QSL card. We hope the verification sent by postal mail will arrive at your address soon. That’s it for this week’s Letter Box. You’re invited to visit us online at www.vovworld.vn to listen again and read the articles. Good bye until next time.