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in discussion, the following points were made and questions raised:-
i) the best way of helping was thought to be by providing funds and supplies rather than by sending personnel. In special cases, however, when indigenous expert knowledge was not available, consultants would be welcome, particularly as trainers of Vietnamese staff.
ii) it might be possible to have joint schemes with funds from abroad and Vietnamese workers. At present there was a representative of IUCW in Hanoi discussing such plans.
iii) There was very little provision for expatriates at present e.g. for accommodation, interpreters, etc.
iv) The SCF representative in Thailand, who had visited Hanoi in the last few months, confirmed Mr. Kirkley's report. He had also been received cordially.
v) SCF had been working through its Swedish branch in setting up a pilot day care centre. It had recently contributed £15,000 and had provided medical supplies at the request of the Hanoi Government.
vi) The condition of the Vietnamese in general appeared to be good. Clothing was dull and uninteresting; but the people showed a friendly attitude to visitors and did not appear to be down-hearted or suspicious.
vii) The health of the children also seemed reasonably good. There were special problems such as deafness due to bombing but these were being attended to through the Health Service.
viii) The British Hospital was still at the planning stage. Mr. Kirkley had visited the existing hospital on the site which had been partly destroyed and evacuated three times and had met the staff who showed by their interest and enthusiasm how they depended on the British to provide a new 200-bed hospital. The target was £800,000 to be reached by October 1976; so far less than £100,000 had been raised.
ix) Handling of supplies at Haiphong appeared to be efficient; and the Relief and Reconstruction Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs responsible for the distribution was working quite well.
x) Mr. Kirkley had also been asked unofficially to collect background information and to report on his findings to:-
Ministry of Overseas Development
background information
Disasters Emergency Committee to check whether supplies of
medicines, rice, milk powder etc had been safely received in Haiphong.
Save the Children Fund - general information.
xi) Mr. Lefton (Medical Aid for Vietnam) would be going the next day for about three weeks to Hanoi and Saigon in connection with the development of trade.
xii) The British Red Cross Society had received reports from Col. Douglas Gill, who had recently been in Indo-China on behalf of the League and the ICRC about the repatriation of foreigners from Saigon especially Pakistanis and Yemanis. Some ex-patriates were still left.
The ICRC detachment was still in Saigon though the UK mission had been asked to leave.
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