Prime Minister orders better care for the elderly

Policies and mechanisms are needed to take better care of the elderly as Vietnam’s population aging is forecast to increase in the coming years, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said on March 22.

Speaking at a working session with representatives from the Vietnamese Association of the Elderly in Hanoi, the PM noted that elderly people make up 17 percent of the national population, and the rate is expected to reach 25 percent by 2045.

He ordered efforts to well implement contents relating to the elderly in the resolution adopted at the 13th National Party Congress, and other relevant guidelines, policies and laws.

It is necessary to raise public awareness of the role by the elderly as well as the association’s operations and contributions to the society, Chinh continued, expressing his hope that the elderly will uphold their role in social supervision and criticism.

The association brings together more than 9.7 million members, accounting for nearly 90 percent of the population.

Some 4 million old people have received regular health check-ups and more than 95 percent of the elderly have health insurance cards.  

Over 6.5 million old people are directly joining production and business activities, of whom some 100,000 have run their own facilities, and around 400,000 have been honoured for their outstanding performance in this field.

The association proposed the government speed up and raise the efficiency of the amendment and supplement of the Law on the Elderly, and create more favourable conditions for the elderly and the association itself to further contribute to socio-economic development./.