Caring for war invalids and fallen soldiers’ families have been a central focus of efforts by the Party, State and people for decades with many important policies issued to improve their living conditions.

In 1947, just two years after President Ho Chi Minh delivered the declaration of independence, the first decree on preferential policies for war invalids and fallen soldiers was issued and then supplemented with another decree in 1948.

In 1947, July 27 was chosen as the national war invalids’ day, which was later named the War Invalids and Martyrs’ Day, to call on the entire community to assist war invalids and martyrs’ families.

The country currently has 8.8 million revolutionary contributors including 1.5 million receiving monthly allowances.

Besides the State’s policies, the campaign on taking care of those who made contributions to the nation has taken root in society and been growing on both scale and efficiency.

Over the past five years, a fund to help war invalids and martyrs’ families has raised 1.5 trillion VND (68.72 million USD), built 55,600 houses and repaired 39,000 others, costing hundreds of billions of VND.

Nearly 6,000 living Heroic Mothers have also been taken care of by agencies and organisations.

So far, as many as 98 percent of policy beneficiary households enjoy middle-range living standards and above compared to their neighbours, while 95 percent of communes and wards across the nation are showing strong performances in caring for war invalids, martyrs’ families and policy beneficiaries.

The search, gathering and repatriation of martyr remains have been enthusiastically implemented. The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Defence have coordinated with other ministries to build national projects in the field and encourage the engagement of the whole society.

Last year, a general review of preferential policies for revolutionary contributors was carried out nationwide to determine shortcomings in policy implementation for timely adjustment.

Thus far, all localities nationwide have completed the review and policy modifications have been enacted for Vietnam heroic mothers, war invalids, Agent Orange/Dioxin victims, revolutionary contributors and ex-youth volunteers.

Currently, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs is implementing a project to renovate policies for revolutionary contributors to ensure adequate living conditions.

This year, the ministry is focusing on continuing to improve policies for beneficiaries and calling for stronger engagement of society in the effort while educating the youth on their responsibility in the field.-VNA