Chief of Mission at IOM in Vietnam Park Mi-Hyung speaks at the event (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Vietnam held a roundtable discussion with the Secretariat of the Migration Health Working Group (MHWG) to discuss its 2023 priorities to raise public awareness of safe and healthy migration in adaptation with the new normal in Vietnam.
The event looked into reports of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and Ministry of Health, focusing on the international migration situation in the context that Vietnam has opened its borders since March following the COVID-19 pandemic, and updates on the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) reached in 2018.
In response to the agreement, the Vietnamese Prime Minister issued a decision on the plan to implement the GCM in 2020. Later, the Ministry of Health issued a decision to launch the GCM in the sector, including interventions to ensure the health of Vietnamese workers abroad amid public medical crisis.
With 1.6 million USD in aid from the Japanese Government, IOM supported the resumption of safe international travel in Vietnam via improving public medical capacity at six international border gates and five international airports, including Noi Bai, Da Nang, Cam Ranh, Tan Son Nhat and Phu Quoc. It is estimated that 400 frontline and 50 government officials and 3,000 residents in border provinces benefit from the project.
Earlier this year, IOM introduced the Health Handbook for Vietnamese working in Japan and the Republic of Korea, which provides basic knowledge, advices and guidance to meet the needs of Vietnamese migrant workers. The handbook is currently available for free in electronic format at https://mhwg.org.vn/en/library/
Participants at the event also discussed initiatives and shared experience to build a 2013 action plan for MHWG.
IOM pledged to work closely with the Vietnamese Ministry of Health to collect recommendations for MHWG to ensure rights of migrant workers in the new normal in Vietnam./.
