The Government Office has just issued a direction from Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha on the care work for the elderly.
The Deputy Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Health to direct and guide the effective implementation of health care for elderly people according to the present regulations.
Moreover, the Ministry should unify instructions for preparing medical records to monitor and manage the health of the elderly while paying attention to specialized training programs in geriatrics and elderly care skills.
Above all, the Ministry of Health should have appropriate solutions to ensure that all elderly people have health insurance cards. The Ministry ought to guide localities to implement primary health care plans for the elderly.
Deputy PM Tran Hong Ha also required Vietnam Social Insurance to coordinate with the Ministry of Health in implementing health insurance policies and improve the quality of medical examination and treatment covered by health insurance to meet the health care needs of the elderly and residents. Payment of social insurance and health insurance for the elderly is high on the list of priorities.
People's committees of provinces and cities allocate resources for the full implementation of policies on the elderly according to the current regulations as well as integrate the implementation of elderly work in related programs, schemes, projects and tasks.
Under the Deputy PM’s direction, local administrations should continue to well organize ceremonies for celebrating the birthdays of elderly people and giving gifts to poor, lonely elderly people without relatives or caregivers. Furthermore, local government should call for social financial contributions to take care of local senior citizens.
The Deputy Prime Minister requested the Central Vietnam Association of the Elderly to coordinate with the Ministry of Health, the Military Commercial Bank and related agencies and organizations to mobilize resources to implement the medical humanitarian program for the elderly.
