Ho Chi Minh City Union of Business Associations gives 10,000 medicine bags to F0 who are underprivileged laborers in the city. (Photo: SGGP)
Urgent support
Cao Dang Tu, a worker at Thu Duc Water Supply Joint Stock Company under the Saigon Water Supply Corporation (Sawaco), and four family members were infected with Covid-19 from July 23. Most worryingly, his mother is old and at risk of serious complications. The shadow of anxiety hovered over the family even into the concentrated isolation area.
Huynh Thi Thuy Dung, an employee of Tan Hoa Water Supply Joint Stock Company under Sawaco, experienced a similar situation when her six family members got positive results with the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
“I am actually panicked,” she said. Right after that, her family applied a healthy diet and exercise program for F0 cases at home. Whenever she needed medicine, food, and a blood oxygen meter, the company's union would bring them to her house.
“My phone kept ringing for hours because our acquaintances were concerned about our health. Gifts were delivered immediately to support F0 and relatives with Covid-19. In comparison with many people who got sick and lost their jobs, I am so fortunate because I have received valuable encouragement. It is love in times of trouble," Dung expressed after a week of facing Covid-19.
Thu Duc Water Supply Joint Stock Company, Sawaco, and Thu Duc Water Supply Network Management Team supported Cao Dang Tu with a total of VND10 million. “On August 19, my whole family of five people was discharged from the hospital. Without the timely care and encouragement of the leadership and colleagues, I do not know if I would be able to overcome it," he said.
Meanwhile, Song Ngoc Garment Company in Tan Binh District detected a worker with Covid-19 on August 14. Immediately, the company organized tracing and zoning among 215 workers who were staying at the factory for work.
Mr. Tran Thanh Son, Head of Human Resources Department cum Chairman of the Union of Song Ngoc Garment Company, said that the leadership and colleagues promptly supported VND14 million for this case.
“This is the first Covid-19 case in the company, so encouragement is the most important thing for laborers to feel comfortable. Thanks to that, production activities are maintained, and workers can feel assured to work at the factory," said Mr. Son.
According to the regulations of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, this case will receive additional support of VND3 million.
HCMC is implementing social distancing, but electricity workers still work and travel a lot, so they face a high risk of infection, especially when going in and out of the lockdown and isolation areas.
In fact, some laborers have contracted Covid-19. To minimize the risk of Covid-19 infection for laborers, the HCMC Electricity Company (EVNHCMC) requires units to comply strictly with regulations on pandemic prevention. Especially, EVNHCMC has made the most of its Remote Control Technology of Power System Operation, so it can both ensure power supply for the city and reduce the risk of infection for its employees and customers.
Various ways to share with laborers
According to Mr. Huynh Duc Thanh, Vice Chairman of Sawaco Trade Union, by August 27, the unit had 174 employees infected with Covid-19 among more than 4,000 employees. Of these, 40 have been discharged from the hospital. The union has immediately supported each of them with VND3 million. Relatives of Covid-19-infected employees are also supported.
"Caring for employees with Covid-19 has added morale and encouragement not only to F0 but also to their families," Mr. Huynh Duc Thanh commented.
At EVNHCMC, the corporation has arranged its own medical force on-site to support employees with Covid-19.
According to Mr. Le Van Minh, Chairman of EVNHCMC's Trade Union, besides medical examination and treatment costs under the health insurance regime, the corporation and the trade union agreed to use union, mutual, and welfare funds of the company and the corporation to take care of Covid-19-infected employees. Employees also receive financial support, medicine, a team of remote doctors of the Electricity of Vietnam, the Corporation’s Trade Union, and many Central and Northern power companies.
Meanwhile, the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Business Associations (HUBA) has compiled a list of employees of member enterprises who are receiving treatment at home to provide medicines.
According to Mr. Chu Tien Dung, Chairman of the HUBA, medicine support was deployed urgently but carefully. The prescriptions are based on a document published by the Department of Health of HCMC, with medicine bags A (for F0 without symptoms) and B (for F0 with mild symptoms) and specific instructions for use. All 10,000 medicine bags were delivered to F0s for home treatment, with priority given to eight red-zone districts to be distributed first. In the social security programs of HUBA, Mr. Dung affirmed that the priority subject must be underprivileged employees.
Cao Dang Tu, a worker at Thu Duc Water Supply Joint Stock Company under the Saigon Water Supply Corporation (Sawaco), and four family members were infected with Covid-19 from July 23. Most worryingly, his mother is old and at risk of serious complications. The shadow of anxiety hovered over the family even into the concentrated isolation area.
Huynh Thi Thuy Dung, an employee of Tan Hoa Water Supply Joint Stock Company under Sawaco, experienced a similar situation when her six family members got positive results with the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
“I am actually panicked,” she said. Right after that, her family applied a healthy diet and exercise program for F0 cases at home. Whenever she needed medicine, food, and a blood oxygen meter, the company's union would bring them to her house.
“My phone kept ringing for hours because our acquaintances were concerned about our health. Gifts were delivered immediately to support F0 and relatives with Covid-19. In comparison with many people who got sick and lost their jobs, I am so fortunate because I have received valuable encouragement. It is love in times of trouble," Dung expressed after a week of facing Covid-19.
Thu Duc Water Supply Joint Stock Company, Sawaco, and Thu Duc Water Supply Network Management Team supported Cao Dang Tu with a total of VND10 million. “On August 19, my whole family of five people was discharged from the hospital. Without the timely care and encouragement of the leadership and colleagues, I do not know if I would be able to overcome it," he said.
Meanwhile, Song Ngoc Garment Company in Tan Binh District detected a worker with Covid-19 on August 14. Immediately, the company organized tracing and zoning among 215 workers who were staying at the factory for work.
Mr. Tran Thanh Son, Head of Human Resources Department cum Chairman of the Union of Song Ngoc Garment Company, said that the leadership and colleagues promptly supported VND14 million for this case.
“This is the first Covid-19 case in the company, so encouragement is the most important thing for laborers to feel comfortable. Thanks to that, production activities are maintained, and workers can feel assured to work at the factory," said Mr. Son.
According to the regulations of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, this case will receive additional support of VND3 million.
HCMC is implementing social distancing, but electricity workers still work and travel a lot, so they face a high risk of infection, especially when going in and out of the lockdown and isolation areas.
In fact, some laborers have contracted Covid-19. To minimize the risk of Covid-19 infection for laborers, the HCMC Electricity Company (EVNHCMC) requires units to comply strictly with regulations on pandemic prevention. Especially, EVNHCMC has made the most of its Remote Control Technology of Power System Operation, so it can both ensure power supply for the city and reduce the risk of infection for its employees and customers.
Various ways to share with laborers
According to Mr. Huynh Duc Thanh, Vice Chairman of Sawaco Trade Union, by August 27, the unit had 174 employees infected with Covid-19 among more than 4,000 employees. Of these, 40 have been discharged from the hospital. The union has immediately supported each of them with VND3 million. Relatives of Covid-19-infected employees are also supported.
"Caring for employees with Covid-19 has added morale and encouragement not only to F0 but also to their families," Mr. Huynh Duc Thanh commented.
At EVNHCMC, the corporation has arranged its own medical force on-site to support employees with Covid-19.
According to Mr. Le Van Minh, Chairman of EVNHCMC's Trade Union, besides medical examination and treatment costs under the health insurance regime, the corporation and the trade union agreed to use union, mutual, and welfare funds of the company and the corporation to take care of Covid-19-infected employees. Employees also receive financial support, medicine, a team of remote doctors of the Electricity of Vietnam, the Corporation’s Trade Union, and many Central and Northern power companies.
Meanwhile, the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Business Associations (HUBA) has compiled a list of employees of member enterprises who are receiving treatment at home to provide medicines.
According to Mr. Chu Tien Dung, Chairman of the HUBA, medicine support was deployed urgently but carefully. The prescriptions are based on a document published by the Department of Health of HCMC, with medicine bags A (for F0 without symptoms) and B (for F0 with mild symptoms) and specific instructions for use. All 10,000 medicine bags were delivered to F0s for home treatment, with priority given to eight red-zone districts to be distributed first. In the social security programs of HUBA, Mr. Dung affirmed that the priority subject must be underprivileged employees.
According to the HCMC Labor Confederation, nearly 12,230 laborers had been infected with Covid-19 by August 30. Of which, there are 5,870 women with 280 cases of pregnancy and raising children under six years old. To encourage them to overcome the difficult period, trade unions at all levels support VND3 million for each person.
Up to now, trade unions at all levels have spent more than VND13 billion to support laborers with Covid-19. The unions also assist VND5 million per case of death due to Covid-19.
Children under the ages of 16 who are children of laborers with Covid-19 will be supported VND500,000 each, and VND1 million for cases of terminal illness who are F0s or F1s.
Up to now, trade unions at all levels have spent more than VND13 billion to support laborers with Covid-19. The unions also assist VND5 million per case of death due to Covid-19.
Children under the ages of 16 who are children of laborers with Covid-19 will be supported VND500,000 each, and VND1 million for cases of terminal illness who are F0s or F1s.
