Scene at the event (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’spopulation is in the process of rapid aging, with people aged 65 and aboveestimated to account for 13 percent of the total number by 2020, according to areport.
The report on building a comprehensivenational policy on response to aging population was released by the Departmentof Social Assistance under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs ata workshop held in Hanoi on March 29.
Accordingly, Vietnam now hasabout 11.3 million elderly people, including about 350,000 aged 90 upwards, and1.8 million aged 80 and above. Vietnamese people have an average longevity of74 years and up to 70 percent of its elderly people live in rural areas.
The report said 96 percent of theelderly people have public health insurance cards. Nearly 100 central- andprovincial-level hospitals have geriatric departments accommodating over 8,000elderly-prioritised beds.
A number of campaign initiated bythe Vietnam Association of the Elderly, particularly the action month for group,have been launched effectively.
Speaking at the workshop, Presidentof the Vietnam Association of the Elderly Pham Thi Hai Chuyen said response to theaging population aims at not only meeting old people’s expectation and demandbut also tackling aging population impacts on all other age groups.
She noted a policy withcomprehensive approaches that deal with both aspects is needed, adding that itshould be designed suitable to general socio-economic plans.
Deputy Minister of Labour,Invalids, and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha said the workshop was an opportunityto boost cooperation among organisations and agencies working on issues relatedto the aging population and elderly people.
Ha unveiled that with thetechnical support from the UN Population Fund, cooperation among sectors andagencies are necessary in building specific programmes on the elderly’s socialwelfare, employment, health care, and urgent aid, among others.
Regarding the revision of the Lawon the Elderly, participants suggested that Vietnam should complete policies tocreate favourable conditions for old people to work and encourage enterprises,families and communities to take care for the elderly.
They recommended reducing theeligible age for social welfare benefits to 75, with priority given to oldpeople living in remote, mountainous, and island areas as well as those withdifficult backgrounds.-VNA
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