The Prime Minister has approved a programme for protecting children from incidents and injuries during the 2016-20 period.
The programme aims to prevent accidents and injuries among children, especially drowning incidents and road accidents, and to reduce the rate of injuries among children to six per 1,000 ones.
The number of child fatalities in accidents has fallen to 17 per 100,000.
The programme also aims to build five million safe houses and 10,000 safe schools for children, and 300 communes, wards and towns that will become safe communities.
The programme is expected to reduce child fatalities in road accidents by 25 per cent, as compared with 2015.
On average, more than 2,000 children are killed in traffic accidents in Viet Nam each year, according to the Ministry of Transport statistics.
Enhancing skills
One of the components of the programme is communication and education to enhance awareness, knowledge and skills to prevent accidents of children, among children themselves, their families, schools and communities through mass media, campaigns and direct activities at houses and schools.
Communication projects to prevent accidents among children will be prepared.
Officers, volunteers and medical workers responsible for taking care of children will be imparted skills to prevent accidents among children as well as give first aid.
Safe models
Safe house models will be tested, evaluated and implemented. Direct consultations and activities will be held to limit incidents and injuries among children in their own houses.
Extracurricular activities on preventing incidents and injuries among children will be organised at kindergartens and primary and junior secondary schools. The programme also aims to improve learning environments to create safe schools.
Additionally, safe community models will be built, accompanied by first aid, emergency and treatment systems for children in these communities and medical offices.
The programme will develop tools and services to reduce road accidents and drowning of children.
The concerned authorities will work together to monitor the implementation of road safety and swimming regulations to protect children from regrettable consequences.
The programme has estimated funds of VND670 billion (nearly US$29.9 million). Of this total, VND160 billion ($7.1 million) will come from the State budget, VND420 billion ($18.7 million) from the local budget, and the rest will be mobilised from international sources.
Accidental injuries among children are a pressing problem around the world, with Viet Nam having among the highest rates of accidental injuries and deaths.
The Government wants at least 90 per cent of the children to use buoyancy aids while travelling on waterways, and public pools and beaches to have safety licences by 2020.
