Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam chaired a meeting of the National Committee on Elderly on December 19 in Ha Noi.

Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam

In 2019, there are 11.41 million elderly people, accounting for about 12% of the country's population. Over 1.7 million elderly people receive monthly allowance; over 1.4 million people get revolutionary subsidies; more than 3.1 million others get pension and social insurance benefits. 

Deputy Minister of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs Le Tan Dung reported that State budget yearly allocates VND 17,517 billion for the elderly (including monthly subsidies and healthcare insurance). About 10,000 elderly people received support at social welfare establishments. 

A large number of localities provided free-of-charge medical checkup services and medicines for 11.3 million elderly people who have healthcare insurance. 

So far, 106 hospitals have had geriatrics departments specializing in care for elderly people; 10,183 beds for elderly patients; 1,791 medical staff in geriatrics with 1.57 million health dossiers. 

In 2019, over 112,000 elderly people were given transport fee reduction worth over VND 2.2 billion.  

Addressing the event, Deputy PM proposed ministries, agencies, and localities to take care of the elderly people and research on policies in order to mobilize social engagement in taking care of the elderly people and promoting their role./.