Journalists get training on social, health insurance schemes

Binh Dinh (VNA) – A training workshop was opened in Quy Nhon city, the central province of Binh Dinh on May 16 to update reporters and editors on social security and health insurance schemes.

In his opening remark, VSS Deputy General Director Dao Viet Anh said the workshop was first held by the Vietnam Social Security (VSS) in 2015. The annual event not only updates information and new regulations on social insurance and health insurance for reporters and editors from across the country, but also strengthens cooperation between the VSS and news agencies and newspapers in raising public awareness of the importance of social and health insurance insurances and enforcement of related regulations and law.

Echoing Anh’s view, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Binh Dinh Nguyen Tuan Thanh, said that the workshop will also offer reporters and editors an opportunity to meet and share experience in covering news in this field.

Ensuring social welfare is a consistent policy of the Vietnamese Party and State, Ho Quang Loi, Permanent Vice President of the Vietnam Journalists Association, said, noting that social security is among the State’s effective tools to ensure social equality and develop the country towards sustainability.

However, many people and businesses lack appropriate knowledge on social insurance and health insurance, he said, adding that they are not fully aware of the importance of social security and health insurance schemes.

Loi highlighted the significant role of the press in promoting social and health insurance schemes and their credibility among the public, particularly in the digital era when social media is flourishing.

He applauded cooperation between the VSS and media agencies in recent years that has led to expanded news coverage on social security and health insurance. The press played a vital role in promoting the enforcement of the social security and health insurance regulations, providing updates on the schemes for the people and reporting on violations in this regard, he added.

Bui Sy Loi, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee for Social Affairs, updated the participants on the outcomes of the 7th plenary session of the 12th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, which was concluded in Hanoi last week, with focus on wage reforms and renewal of social insurance policies.

At the workshop, presentations were delivered on the results of cooperation between the VSS and the press in promotion of the laws on Social Insurance and Health Insurance in 2017 and orientations for 2018. The VSS also gave the participants an overview of new social security policies and regulations that have taken or will take effective this year and its plan to expand voluntary social insurance coverage.-VNA