First, the sources of exposure must be detected, evaluated, controlled and eliminated. Then the food supply must be protected through systems for monitoring and dealing with contamination. Health care systems can provide and subsidize comprehensive care for affected individuals, including education, genetic counseling about possible impacts on offspring, training, medications, surgery and rehabilitation, as needed.

Programs reach only a small number of those in need.

    ♦ The Vietnamese government provides a monthly stipend of about $17 to more than 200,000 Vietnamese believed affected by the toxic herbicides. [i] This totals about $40 million each year.
   ♦ The Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange has raised support since 2004 for those affected by Agent Orange and is conducting a survey to identify others affected nationwide.
    ♦ The Vietnam Red Cross has raised more than $22 million to assist the ill or disabled. 
    ♦ With funding from the Ford Foundation and other donors, some rehabilitation, education and other services to the disabled are provided by the War Legacies Project, Children of Vietnam, the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation, the East Meets West Foundation, Vietnam Assistance for the Handicapped, Da Nang-Quang Nam Fund, Catholic Relief Services and CHEER Vietnam. 
   ♦ The Ford Foundation, other foundations, European governments, UNICEF, the UN Development Programme, civic groups, businesses and individuals have given a total of $39.1 million for cleanup, health care and other services to Vietnamese affected by Agent Orange/dioxin and advocacy for more resources.
    ♦ The U.S. Congress has allocated $40.1 million over the last five years for “hot spot” remediation and health programs. Of this, $6.4 million has been allocated to support and care for those with disabilities in Da Nang.

For More Information Contact: James Hoppes at the Aspen Institute Agent Orange in Vietnam Program, 477 Madison Avenue Suite 730 New York, NY 10022. james.hoppes@aspeninstitute.org, 215 887-3815.

Source: aspeninstitute.org