Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam speaks at the working session. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The role of theelderly should continue to be promoted strongly in every aspect of life, DeputyPrime Minister Vu Duc Dam has said.
Speaking at a session of the Vietnam National Committee for Elderly in Hanoi onJanuary 2, he said over the past time, old people have actively participated insocial movements to help boost production and improve living conditions.
“The role of the elderly has been particularly shown in learning promotionactivities and we need to continue upholding this role if we want to build a‘learning society’ in which the old people will not only encourage youngergenerations to study but also join themselves in learning activities,” hestressed.
They should play a greater role in culturallife, leading civilised lifestyles and in Party building activities in theirlocalities, he noted.
Regarding tasks to take care of the elderly,the Deputy PM said localities should strive to have all old people holdinghealth insurance cards and work to improve health care services for them, hesaid.
Apart from health care activities, attentionshould also be paid to programmes to entertain the elderly, he added.
Participants at the meeting discussed shortcomings hindering efforts to takecare of the elderly such as low awareness of authorities in some localitiesabout their responsibilities relating to the elderly, poor implementation oftasks related to old people, and a lack of mechanisms and policies encouragingthe private sector to invest in establishments taking care of the elderly.
Financial shortages and a lack of land for health care services and culturaland sport activities for the elderly also remain challenges, they noted.
Deputy PM Dam asked ministries, agencies andlocalities to establish funds to take care of the elderly and promote theirrole in society.
They were also asked to review tasks relating to elderly people within theirjurisdiction to ensure the tasks are fulfilled effectively.
Minister of Labour, Invalids and SocialAffairs Dao Ngoc Dung said supervision and inspection should be strengthened toensure the effectiveness of activities for elderly people.
The ministry is compiling a draft law on social activities which considers theestablishment of the model of the social security fund to help tackle financialshortages for social activities at localities, according to Dung. The fund willtarget the elderly, children and the poor.
As of 2018, Vietnam has more than 11.3 million elderly people, accounting fornearly 12 percent of the country’s total population. Of the figure, nearly 2million are more than 80 years old.
As many as 3.1 million elderly people get retirement pension and socialinsurance allowance, while some 1.6 million others get monthly social allowanceand more than 10.8 million old people hold health insurance cards.-VNA
VNA
