Viet Nam is determined to ensure social insurance coverage for all the elderly people nationwide by 2021, said Deputy General Director of Viet Nam Social Security (VSS) Tran Dinh Lieu at a meeting of the Viet Nam National Committee on Ageing (VNCA) on January 15.

The VNCA chairman – Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dama speaks at
a meeting of the Viet Nam National Committee on Ageing
(VNCA),Ha Noi, January 15, 2021

The event, which was presided over by the VNCA chairman – Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, aimed to review elderly affairs in 2020 and set out objectives and tasks for 2021.

At the meeting, VNCA members highly appreciated the role of the elderly in Party building, combating corruption and social evils, and protecting the environment.

According to a report of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, Viet Nam had nearly 13 million elderly people (aged 60 and above) in 2020, accounting for 12% of the population, with about 1.98 million aged over 80, nearly 4.8 million male elders, and approximately 7.7 million elders living in rural areas.

The State budget spent about VND18 trillion (US$779.69 million) implementing social assistance policies for the elderly in the community. Specifically, more than 1.8 million older people received monthly allowances, over 1.4 million enjoyed allowances as national contributors, and 3.1 million are enjoying pensions and social insurance benefits. In addition, 12.1 million elders currently have health insurance cards.

Communication activities related to the elderly were actively renovated in terms of the content, methods, subjects and moments, substantially contributing to raising awareness and responsibilities of all levels, sectors, organizations, individuals and residential communities in elderly affairs. 

The VNCA highly appreciated the efforts made by the Central Committee of the Viet Nam Association of the Elderly (VAE) and its local chapters in creating conditions for the elderly to participate in cultural, musical and sports activities, while urging for more active support from all-level Party committees and authorities in the work.

At the meeting, VNCA members agreed that in the time ahead, ministries, sectors and localities should focus on implementing policies related to the elderly in close association with multidimensional poverty elimination policies.

They stressed the need to uphold a sense of mutual love and affection in supporting the elderly people, especially those in extremely disadvantaged circumstances.