The event, which was presided over by the VNCA chairman – Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, aimed to review elderly affairs in 2020 and set out objectives and tasks for 2021.

According to a report of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, Vietnam had nearly 13 million elderly people (aged 60 and above) in 2020, accounting for 12 percent of the population, with about 1.98 million aged over 80, and approximately 7.7 million elderly people living in rural areas.

leftcenterrightdel
The VNCA chairman – Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam speaks at a meeting of the Vietnam National Committee on Ageing (VNCA), Hanoi, January 15, 2021.

The State budget spent about VND 18 trillion (USD 779.69 million) on implementing social assistance policies for the elderly in the community. Specifically, more than 1.8 million elderly people received monthly allowances, over 1.4 million enjoyed allowances as national contributors, and 3.1 million are enjoying pensions and social insurance benefits. In addition, 12.1 million senior citizens currently have health insurance cards.

The VNCA highly appreciated the efforts made by the Vietnam Association of the Elderly (VAE) and its local chapters in creating conditions for the elderly to participate in cultural, musical and sports activities, while urging for more active support from all-level Party committees and authorities in the work.

At the meeting, VNCA members agreed that in the time ahead, ministries, sectors and localities should focus on implementing policies related to the elderly in close association with multidimensional poverty elimination policies.

Source: VNA