HCMC People's Council deputies propose day of remembrance for Covid-19 victims

Mr. Tang Huu Phong said that the moment of silence to remember those who died to Covid-19 has been organized in recent important meetings, such as the fourth plenum of the 13th Party Central Committee, the 9th session of the 11th HCMC Party Congress for term 2020-2025 and the third meeting of the 10th-tenure People's Council of HCMC.

State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc also suggested a memorial remembrance form while Secretary of the HCMC Party Committee agreed with the Chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee’s proposal on hosting a requiem for those who perished in the Covid-19 pandemic

The Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper has proposed the organization of a memorial day for people and frontline forces in the Covid-19 battle who lost during the pandemic. The newspaper has received a lot of support from NA deputies, HCMC leaders and readers.

At the meeting, Mr. Tang Huu Phong also suggested the municipal functional departments should assess properly the great important role of people and their significant contribution in preventing and fighting Covid-19, complying with the city’s Covid rules and guidelines, joining hands with the municipal government to support people affected by the pandemic.

Deputy Head of the Department of Legislation of the HCMC People’s Council, NA deputy Le Minh Duc said that Vietnam recorded more than 864,000 Covid-19 infections, including around 414,800 cases in HCMC. The deaths of more than 21,194 people in the country, including 16,189 people in HCMC have left many millions grieving. He suggested the city to choose a day of remembrance to remember victims of Covid-19.

In an attempt to ease the pain of families of Covid victims, a special mission unit of the Advisory Board under the HCMC High Command was established to receive ashes of persons who died due to Coronavirus infection from the Binh Hung Hoa Cremation Center and bring them to the City’s Funeral House. Military command committees of 21 districts and Thu Duc City have been responsible for carrying cremains back home. Pagodas will temporarily keep and organize requiem for cremains that have not been received by their relatives yet. All funeral services for people who died from Covid-19 will be funded by the HCMC budget. The municipal should pay attention to social welfare activities for the people when the city returns to the new normal state, said Deputy Commander of the Ho Chi Minh City High Command, Colonel Pham Van Ram.

The municipal authorities have organized many activities supporting families of people who died from Covid-19. It is a significant activity aiming at helping relatives of Covid victims overcome their grief and difficulties, Vice chairman of the Committee for Catholic Solidarity of HCMC, priest Tran Quang Vinh added.

Deputy Director of the National Assembly Commission for People's Aspirations, Luu Binh Nhuong said that a Covid remembrance day to commemorate people who died from Covid-19 is a justifiable aspiration. He thought that the Vietnam Fatherland Front should be assigned responsibility to gather religious organizations to host a memorial day as if the country has annual requiem for the victims who lost their life to traffic accidents.

Most Venerable Thich Duc Thien, Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha said that it will be also a chance to pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives in the Covid-19 pandemic.

Deputy Director of the Department of National Devotees of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs, Nguyen Duy Kien highly appreciated the Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper’s proposal on a memorial day for Covid-19 victims that can be organized after the country totally brings the pandemic under control.

The Ministry of of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs has supported the awarding and bestowing posthumously the title of martyr on people who sacrificed themselves during the pandemic but still waiting for the Government’s guidance, he added.

Deputy Le Thanh Van of the National Assembly Delegation of Ca Mau Province stated that a memorial day for Covid-19 victims could be regarded as an annual national death anniversary to remember a global human tragedy and economic devastation. In addition, a monument in memory of the victims of the Covid-19 pandemic which should be built in a public place for people to pay tribute to all of Vietnamese died from the coronavirus pandemic.