Deputy PM asks to ensure quality of life for elderly

Medical staff provide free health check-ups for senior citizens (Photo: VNA)

NDO – Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has requested the Vietnam Elderly Association work out a plan on announcing an action month for the elderly and activities to promote the role of the elderly in the community so that they can live a healthy and happy life.

Deputy PM Dam, who is also Chairman of the Vietnam National Committee for Elderly (VNCE), made the request while chairing a conference held in Hanoi on March 20 to devise operations for the Committee in 2015.

He stressed that policies and programmes relating to the elderly should be designed and carried out in accordance with the situation in each locality and current regulations for beneficiaries.

He asked the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) to co-ordinate with ministries, sectors and localities to review the five-year implementation of the Law on the Elderly and the National Action Plan on the Elderly in the 2011-2015 period.

The Ministry of Health was urged to promote ways to take part in physical exercise and prevent diseases among the elderly while completing the establishment of geriatric faculties in hospitals and improving healthcare for the elderly at medical facilities.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism was ordered to step up a project on improving daily life for the elderly while organising more cultural and sporting events for them.

The Government’s Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs was assigned to inspect the deployment of policies concerning the elderly among ethnic groups, particularly patriarchs in ethnic minority communities.

According to a report released by the MOLISA, Vietnam now has more than 9.4 million senior citizens, accounting for 10.45% of the country’s population. Over the past year, cities and provinces across the country have been active in implementing the Law on Elderly, and their policies for beneficiaries.

Localities have also demonstrated their commitment to bettering healthcare for the elderly with geriatric divisions established at local hospitals in 49 out of 63 cities and provinces, an increase of 20 localities compared to 2013.

A string of movements, activities and programmes have been launched nationwide to encourage the participation and contributions of the elderly in boosting socio-economic development, reducing poverty reduction, and improving their cultural life.

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