More than 5,000 join charity walk to support Agent Orange/dioxin victims

From 1961 to 1971, the US military sprayed more than 80 million litres of toxic chemicals, 61% of which was Agent Orange containing 366kg of dioxin, over 3.06 million hectares of land and forests, or one fourth of the area of southern Vietnam.

The toxic chemicals caused strong and enduring impacts on the environment and human health. About 4.8 million people in Vietnam were exposed to Agent Orange/dioxin.

Even though the war has passed for more than half a century, the wounds of war, physical and mental pain still linger in everyone’s hearts, said Major General Tran Ngoc Tho, chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Association of Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin, at the charity event.

He called on the people to provide continued support for the victims to help them alleviate the pain caused by the toxic chemicals.

At the event, the Ho Chi Minh City Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin presented 20 savings books worth VND10 million each to 20 victims of Agent Orange/dioxin.

Statistics show nearly 1 million victims have died since 1975, while hundreds of thousands have been fighting against serious illnesses caused by the toxic chemicals.

The whole country now has more than 850,000 victims of the second generation, 350,000 victims of the third generation and about 500 victims of the fourth generation. The victims live a hard life both materially and spiritually, especially for families with many generations of victims, and victims with serious illnesses. Many couples give birth to children with deformities or mentally retarded children, while many are no longer able to produce incomes.

August 10 was chosen by the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee as National Day for Vietnamese Agent Orange/dioxin Victims in 2024, and it has been since observed annually across the country.