Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City 'cries for help' as 134-year-old relic submerged in billboards and trash

The 134-year-old historical site of the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City is being encroached upon and its safety threatened by pillars and large commercial billboards on the sidewalk. The sidewalks around the institute are also a place for illegal garbage collection and public urination, causing bad odors and unsightly appearance.

At the intersection of Tran Quoc Toan - Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, a large billboard obscures the disease prevention information board and the signpost to the vaccination area of ​​the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City - Photo: TRI DUC

According to Tuoi Tre Online on November 21, the area surrounding the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City (including Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Tran Quoc Toan, Vo Thi Sau and Pasteur streets) is being covered by large commercial billboards that partially cover the space above.

Meanwhile, under the institute's sidewalks are large advertising pillars encroaching on pedestrian paths, accompanied by overflowing garbage, filth, foul odor and the risk of biosafety, especially affecting research, vaccination and medical examination.

In the area in front of the Pasteur Institute (intersection of Tran Quoc Toan - Nam Ky Khoi Nghia), large advertising poles encroach on the sidewalk, obstructing the walkway, especially the lane for the visually impaired. Notably, the large commercial billboards obscure the disease prevention information board and the signpost to the institute's vaccination area.

A similar situation also occurred at the Vo Thi Sau - Pasteur intersection. Not only that, the sidewalks on these routes have many spontaneous garbage collection points, becoming hidden spots for inconsiderate people to urinate in public, causing unsanitary conditions and affecting the urban beauty.

At the intersection of Vo Thi Sau - Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, the advertising unit is barricading to construct two new foundation pits for advertising pillars close to the institute's fence. According to observations, these two foundation pits are dug right into the water supply system, electric cables and fiber optic cables underground under the sidewalk.

Dr. Dinh Xuan Thanh - Deputy Director of the Pasteur Institute of Ho Chi Minh City - said that the institute is not only a key medical facility but also an important historical and architectural relic of the city, a destination in the tourist tours of Xuan Hoa ward and the city.

The Institute is always aware of preserving, conserving and honoring the value of relics according to the Law on Cultural Heritage. When carrying out the task of disease prevention propaganda, the Institute only uses small panels mounted directly on the wall so as not to affect the space of relics and artistic architecture.

However, advertising units continue to set up pillars and billboards around the institute, obscuring the relic space and covering up propaganda billboards on epidemic prevention. Some advertising content overlaps with the areas the institute is managing, such as food, medical equipment, etc.

The installed advertising poles also encroach on pedestrian walkways, especially those for the visually impaired, affecting traffic order and safety.

The continued construction of new advertising columns by advertising units is causing fire safety risks, directly damaging the city's underground infrastructure system, posing a potential risk of fire and explosion, and threatening the safety of agencies, organizations, and people in the area.

"This is a violation of the Law on Cultural Heritage; the Law on Advertising; the Law on Traffic Order and Safety and especially the Law on Fire Prevention, Fire Fighting and Rescue. At the same time, this is also an issue that hinders the propaganda work on disease prevention," Mr. Thanh assessed.

Faced with this situation, the Pasteur Institute of Ho Chi Minh City hopes that the authorities will soon take action to review the planning of billboard locations; promptly handle and prevent violations; rectify and restore space, urban aesthetic vision, and architectural and artistic heritage values ​​for the city.

The Institute has reported to the ward police and sent an official dispatch to the People's Committee of Xuan Hoa ward to request consideration and handling according to authority regarding construction order and urban security and safety.

The gate of the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City is "lost" under a large commercial advertising pillar - Photo: TRI DUC

Large advertising pole built right on the sidewalk for the visually impaired - Photo: TRI DUC

At the corner of Pasteur - Vo Thi Sau, a large advertising pillar is still built similarly, as if surrounding the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City - Photo: TRI DUC

The remaining facade of the Pasteur Institute of Ho Chi Minh City (Vo Thi Sau - Nam Ky Khoi Nghia intersection), the advertising unit is barricading to construct two more foundation pits right into the underground water pipe, electric cable and optical cable system - Photo: Provided by Pasteur Institute of Ho Chi Minh City and TRI DUC

This is also a 'meeting place' for urination and defecation for many people lacking awareness. Around the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City, many areas emit foul odors that affect the urban beauty, seriously damaging a 134-year-old historical relic - Photo: TRI DUC

Many garbage trucks and spontaneous garbage dumps appear densely around the institute, causing harmful effects on the safety of vaccination, medical examination and treatment, and research at the institute. People in the surrounding area, especially on the Ao Dai street, are very upset - Photo: TRI DUC

The Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City is 134 years old. It is currently a specialized medical center and a leading preventive medical facility in the Southern region. In 2015, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee recognized this facility as an architectural and artistic relic - Photo: TRI DUC

A representative of the People's Committee of Xuan Hoa Ward said that on November 18, the locality had sent an invitation to relevant parties to attend a meeting chaired by the People's Committee of Xuan Hoa Ward to review and handle the matter according to regulations.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction, the construction project of the LED advertising screen pillar at the corner of Nam Ky Khoi Nghia - Vo Thi Sau Street (Xuan Hoa Ward) was granted construction license No. 2403. The construction unit must be responsible for properly implementing traffic safety and order, fire prevention and fighting, and be subject to inspection and control by relevant state management units.

XUAN MAI - Tri Duc

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/vien-pasteur-tp-hcm-keu-cuu-vi-di-tich-134-tuoi-chim-trong-bang-quang-cao-va-rac-20251124144059093.htm