Hanoi (VNA) – Minister of Labour, Invalids and SocialAffairs (MOLISA) Dao Ngoc Dung visited and presented gifts to disadvantagedchildren at the National Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Xa Dansecondary school in Hanoi on May 9 on the occasion of the National Action Monthfor Children.

At the hospital, Minister Dung, who is also Standing ViceChairman of the National Committee on Children, lauded medical staff for theirconsiderate care for patients.

Director of the hospital Nguyen Danh Cuong said with 1,010beds, 14 clinical faculties, 9 non-clinical faculties and 7 centres, thehospital is not only the leading unit in obstetrics and gynaecology but also atertiary and post-tertiary training establishment with research andtechnological transfer.

The hospital treats over 323,000 outpatients and nearly70,000 inpatients each year, he said.

At the Xa Dan secondary school which is dedicated to hearingimpaired children, Minister Dung hailed Hanoi for its achievements in child protection,care and education, especially for poor and disabled children.

Though Vietnam is the first country in Asia and the secondin the world to sign the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child,there are still 2.5 million children living in especially difficult situation,he said.

The minister hoped that the municipal authorities will offerall possible support to the school to fulfill its assigned tasks.

Rector Pham Van Hoan said the school now has 28 classes frompreschool to secondary levels with 496 students, 343 of them are living withdisabilities.

He added that the school will strive to meet nationalstandards in the near future.

On the occasion, Minister Dung presented five television setsand 100 million VND as gifts to the school.-VNA