Victims of Agent Orange in Ha Tinh – the nagging pains

More than half a century has passed since the disaster of Agent Orange in Vietnam (August 10, 1961 - August 10, 2020) was first triggered, but Agent Orange pains are still deeply embedded in each of the victims\' families in the province of Ha Tinh.

According to statistics, Ha Tinh Province has more than 19,000 victims of Agent Orange, in which more than 13,600 victims are directly exposed to, and more than 5,300 are indirectly exposed. Among them, only 3,540 people participating in the resistance war are enjoying the Agent Orange regime. The total number of children of the resistance activists infected with Agent Orange entitling to the policy is 2,863.

Although they are both over 80 years old and living in poor health, every day Mr. Nguyen Van Tuy and Ms. Nguyen Thi Nuoi in Dong Van Village, Ky Tan Commune (Ky Anh District) are still taking care of a 40-year-old son suffering from mental illness due to Agent Orange sequelae. Mr. Tuy is a ¾-class wounded soldier with one leg amputated and unable to work. His pain became greater because of the illness of his son, Nguyen Van Lanh (40 years old). For many times, Mr. Lanh chased and beat his parents and his relatives in the house, even burned the family\'s house.

Therefore, they had to lock him up in a small room and serve his meals in a plastic bag as they can’t approach him in a normal way. In recent years, as their health is getting worse, it’s harder for them to take care of their ill child.

Mrs. Nuoi shared that: “I am not even allowed to get sick, because if I stay in bed, no one will prepare for their meals. Their monthly allowance is not enough to buy medicine. Fortunately, in times of our greatest need, there are always agencies, mass organisations, and philanthropists to help”.

“I do not dare to dream big, just to wish that the weather didn’t turn bad regularly because in such occasion, both Mr. Tuy and Lanh cry out in pain, and I suffer even more!” – Mrs. Nuoi confessed.

Just as hard as Mrs. Nuoi, at the age of 73, losing her husband for more than 30 years, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Ty in Vinh Khanh Village, Truong Son Commune (Duc Tho District) is working alone to take care of her two daughters with cerebral palsy because of Dioxin.

No word can describe all the hardships and difficulties that Mrs. Ty suffers when taking care of her two bedridden daughters (one 39-year-old and one 41-year-old), with their limbs atrophied, and their mouth screaming unconsciously all day long. Mrs. Ty expressed: “I am used to the hardships now, but only feel pity for the children as they haven’t enjoyed one day of a normal person. If only I could bear their pain for them”.

Not far away, in Minh Thai Village, Truong Son Commune (Duc Tho District), there is also a family with 3 victims of Agent Orange just looking at each other. That is the case of Mr. Tran Trung Chuyen (77 years old).

Mr. Chuyen is a direct victim of Agent Orange who had a stroke and then stayed in bed for many years. His only son - Tran Trung Cong (41 years old) has cerebral palsy due to the sequel of Dioxin. They have to depend all their daily activities on Mrs. Nghiem Thi Van (75 years old, Chuyen’s wife). Unfortunately, one year ago, Mrs. Van also suffered from a stroke and diabetes which caused her bedridden.

The daily meals of Mr. Chuyen\'s family are now prepared by their neighbours. They have a daughter, but she lives far away, and her life is still hard. All she can do is to make their dinner, then she rush back to look after her own family.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial Association of victims of Agent Orange/dioxins Nguyen Quang Tien said: “The victims are still in extremely difficult conditions. We always care about and motivate them, but mostly our supports are just mentally. We can’t do much as our potential is limited. It is also very difficult to find a way of earning for many victims. I hope that in the coming time, by many ways, philanthropists and the community will continue to accompany and support them to relieve their pain of Agent Orange”.

Please kindly send your support to:

1. Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin of Ky Anh District, Ha Tinh Province;

2. Or Vietnam Agent Orange Magazine Account number: 0031116222666

Open at: Military Joint Stock Commercial Bank, Thanh Xuan Branch, Hanoi.