Border area of ​​3 countries Vietnam - Laos - Cambodia: Bustling with joy before the big festival

The first Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia border defense friendship exchange is expected to take place in mid-December 2023 in the common border area of ​​the three countries (Ngoc Hoi district, Kon Tum province, Vietnam - Attapeu, Laos - Ratanakiri, Cambodia) and Kon Tum city area.

Within the framework of the Program's activities, from December 3 to 5, in the border areas of the three countries of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, many practical activities took place for cadres and people in the border areas such as: Organizing medical examinations, treatment, and free medicine distribution for people in the border areas of the three countries; organizing the awarding of "Helping children go to school" scholarships; giving breeding cows to households in difficult circumstances; inaugurating the Border Working Station for the Military Command of Attapeu province (Laos)...

Colonel Nguyen Quoc Cuong, Deputy Chief of Political Affairs of the Border Guard, presented breeding cows to families in difficult circumstances in the border area of ​​Duc Co district, Gia Lai province. Photo: Ngoc Lam

In Ia Dom commune, Duc Co district, Gia Lai province, these days are very special, because there are many practical and meaningful activities imbued with solidarity and friendship between the people on both sides of the border. The appearance of doctors and nurses from Vietnam and Cambodia, along with the presence of local Party committees, authorities and representatives of the two countries' Ministries of National Defense, is a testament to the special attention of leaders at all levels to the material and spiritual life as well as the health of people on both sides of the border.

Colonel Le Van Dong, Deputy Director of the Military Medical Department, General Department of Logistics, Ministry of National Defense shared that, in order to practically prepare for the Exchange Program, the Military Medical Department was assigned by the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defense to coordinate with hospitals and military forces in Gia Lai and Kon Tum provinces to carry out health check-ups and provide free medicine to people in the border areas of the three countries Vietnam - Laos - Cambodia. In the border areas of Gia Lai province and Ratanakiri province (Cambodia), after nearly 2 days of implementation, the military medical forces of Vietnam and Cambodia have examined more than 1,000 people in Po Nhay commune, Ozadao district, Ratanakiri province and more than 700 people in Ia Dom commune.

Colonel Le Van Dong added that to organize medical examination and treatment for people on both sides of the border, the Military Medical Department mobilized over 80 doctors and nurses from Military Hospital 211 (Army Corps 3), Military Hospital 175 (Ministry of National Defense) along with Cambodian military medical forces and Border Guard medical forces. Some modern specialized equipment and machinery were mobilized to serve the medical examination and treatment for people. The working group also closely coordinated with local authorities and grassroots medical teams to ensure the most effective organization of health visits and examinations.

With the support of the service departments, local people have received general examinations, specialized examinations of eyes, ears, nose and throat, teeth and jaws, electrocardiograms, ultrasounds, etc. by doctors and nurses. At the same time, during the examination, doctors and nurses will advise and guide people to prevent common diseases; have a reasonable diet and exercise regimen, suitable for their health condition and age.

In addition, in order to share the difficulties in life with people on both sides of the border, the Vietnam Border Guard Command organized the awarding of 100 scholarships (VND 2 million/scholarship) to poor students from Vietnam and Cambodia; and 20 breeding cows to families in difficult circumstances in the border areas of Gia Lai and Ratanakiri provinces. These meaningful and practical gifts have contributed to encouraging, motivating and helping students in difficult circumstances to excel in their studies and helping poor households have conditions for production and economic development; strengthening the solidarity between people on both sides of the Vietnam - Cambodia border.

Continuing the series of activities in the Exchange Program, on December 5, authorized by the Ministry of National Defense, the working delegation of the Vietnam Border Guard Command led by Major General Hoang Huu Chien, Deputy Commander, Chief of Staff of the Border Guard Command participated in the inauguration of the Border Working Station, Border Guard Company 541, Attapeu Provincial Military Command (Laos) and visited and presented gifts to Phu Cua Primary School, Phu Vong District, Attapeu Province. The project is a gift from the Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam to the Attapeu Provincial Military Command. Thereby, contributing to improving the quality of life for officers and soldiers; at the same time, continuing to affirm the relationship in the coordination work between the border management and protection forces of the two countries.

Military medical staff from Vietnam and Cambodia provide medicine and health consultation to people in Ia Dom commune, Duc Co district, Gia Lai province. Photo: Ngoc Lam

On behalf of the working delegation of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense, Major General Hoang Huu Chien hoped that after the project is put into use, it will create better conditions for the work and life of officers and soldiers of Border Guard Company 541. From there, it will contribute significantly to the completion of the unit's tasks, building a peaceful, friendly, stable and developing Vietnam - Laos border.

Immediately after the handover ceremony, the delegation visited medical examination and treatment points for local people, visited and presented gifts to Phu Cua Primary School.

Receiving the gifts and special sentiments from the delegation, Major General Si Phan Phut Tha Vong, Director of the Border Guard Department (General Staff of the Lao People's Army) respectfully thanked and expressed his deep gratitude for the gifts that the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense has given to the officers and people in the border areas of Laos. At the same time, he hoped that in the coming time, the relationship between the two sides will become increasingly strong, and there will continue to be many practical foreign affairs activities towards the officers, soldiers and people in the border areas./.

Thu Hang