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| Doctors conduct checkups and screenings as part of the latest Operation Smile mission in HCMC - Photo: Quoc Hung |
About 150 children will receive treatment during the NGO’s latest mission in HCMC that has been co-organized with Amway Vietnam and others.
Medical checks and screenings were held on Monday at National Hospital of Odonto – Stomatology (No. 201, Nguyen Tri Phuong St., Dist. 5), while surgeries start on Tuesday till September 17 at My Thien Hospital (No. 275/4/2 Ly Thuong Kiet St., Dist. 11).
This is the third consecutive year Amway Vietnam has participated in Operation Smile’s mission in Vietnam, as part of Amway’s global campaign for children called ‘One by One”. Amway Vietnam is also providing 30 volunteer staff and distributors to assist with the children and families’ transport, guidance and aftercare.
Looe Chee Seng, Amway Vietnam’s general director said, “We are very proud to accompany Operation Smile in the journey to bring smiles to the disadvantaged children. The participation of volunteers in Amway’s One by One activities is a key factor in raising awareness on social responsibility among the corporation and partners.”
In November, Amway Vietnam will continue its partnership role with Operation Smile in a similar surgery mission in Hue.
In Vietnam there are an estimated 13,000 children untreated for the condition because of financial difficulties, plus about 3,000 new cases born every year. According to statistics one in 500 babies born in Vietnam has the condition. The cost for a surgery by local medical specialists is approximately US$150. Following surgery children can speak, eat and drink properly, so they can integrate better into the community and schooling.
Amway Vietnam has contributed VND2.4 billion since 2008 to help 2,200 disadvantaged children in the country. It also partners with Hands of Hope to provide assistance to visually-impaired students at Nguyen Dinh Chieu School, Hanoi, and to poor handicapped children in Northern provinces.
