Bac Ninh Province, Vietnam, Issues Plan for Peaceful Use of Atomic Energy

The People's Committee of Bac Ninh Province, Vietnam, recently issued Plan No. 299/KH-UBND, deploying the implementation of the province's strategy for the peaceful use of atomic energy through 2035, with a vision toward 2050. Signed by Mai Son, Standing Vice Chairman of the Bac Ninh Provincial People's Committee, the plan aims to implement national strategic tasks in line with local conditions, enhance management efficiency in the atomic energy sector, and promote atomic energy in serving socioeconomic development while ensuring radiation safety, nuclear safety, and nuclear security.

Under the plan, Bac Ninh Province will focus on advancing research and applications of radiation technology and radioisotopes in fields such as healthcare, agriculture, natural resources and environment, and industry, while strengthening the safety management of radiation sources. Relevant applications will serve the enhancement of disease diagnosis and treatment capabilities, green and sustainable economic development, climate change response, and environmental protection.

In the medical field, Bac Ninh Province proposes that by 2030, a relatively professional network of radiation diagnostic and radiotherapy medical facilities will be basically established, striving to achieve an average of 15 CT scanners, 0.5 scintillation scanners, 1.1 medical linear accelerators, and 1 digital subtraction angiography system per million people, with 50% of basic specialty medical institutions equipped with mammography devices. By 2035, Bac Ninh Province targets 20 CT scanners, 10 magnetic resonance imaging systems, 1 scintillation scanner, and 1 to 2 medical linear accelerators per million people, along with full digitalization of X-ray imaging and continued modernization of nuclear medicine and radiotherapy equipment.

In the industrial field, Bac Ninh Province will strengthen the promotion and transfer of radiation technology and radioisotope techniques, advancing their application in irradiation, non-destructive testing, tracer technology, material screening, engineering construction, and product quality management to optimize industrial processes. The province also proposes developing quarantine irradiation and preservation services for key export agricultural products when needed.

In fields such as agriculture, natural resources, and environment, Bac Ninh Province plans to apply radiation technology to livestock farming, pest and disease control, quarantine treatment, and agricultural product preservation; and to apply nuclear technology to meteorology, hydrology, fisheries, water resource monitoring, waste control, environmental pollution remediation, disaster prevention and mitigation, and climate change research.

According to the long-term vision, by 2050, atomic energy will become an important component of Bac Ninh Province's economic and technological structure, providing support for a green economy and sustainable development. The province will continue to expand the application scope of advanced radiation technology in healthcare, industry, agriculture, natural resources, and environment.

To achieve the above objectives, the plan identifies several key tasks, including improving institutional mechanisms, strengthening national management capacity, developing radiation and radioisotope applications, ensuring radiation safety, nuclear safety, and nuclear security, enhancing professional talent training, advancing digital transformation and the application of big data and artificial intelligence, as well as conducting publicity and education to raise public awareness.

Bac Ninh Province will also build and improve databases for radiation and nuclear safety management, promoting full digitalization of radiation facility management activities; strengthening radiation and nuclear safety training for management personnel, technical staff, and rapid response forces; and incorporating knowledge of atomic energy and radiation safety into extracurricular activities at all levels of education to enhance public understanding of the value of the peaceful use of atomic energy.

The plan specifies that the provincial department of science and technology will take the lead in coordinating relevant departments and units for implementation, monitoring, inspection, and supervision of the implementation process, while providing unified guidance on technical standards and regulations related to atomic energy, radiation safety, and nuclear security. Departments of health, agriculture and environment, and industry and trade will be responsible for advancing relevant applications in the medical, agricultural resource and environmental, and industrial fields, respectively. All departments, agencies, and local governments are required to implement tasks in accordance with their functions and report implementation status to the department of science and technology before October 20 each year.