Therefore, in addition to efforts to control the pandemic, agencies and localities have initiated many practical programmes to support people who are living in difficult circumstances and help vulnerable groups overcome difficulties.
Joining hands to support people in pandemic-hit areas
As soon as the epidemic broke out in Da Nang, the City’s Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Committee urgently assigned 200 tonnes of rice to the localities in support of the most affected households, giving priority to people in isolation and blocked areas. In mid-August, the City’s VFF Committee issued a document on support for people affected by COVID-19. Accordingly, beneficiaries were: poor and near poverty households, those that have just escaped from poverty, street vendors, lottery ticket sellers, people with disabilities, workers, students living in accommodation and households living in other difficult circumstances. Each family food ration consisted of 10kg of rice. When the document was issued, the VFF committees in wards, communes and residential areas quickly coordinated with the local authorities to review and make a list of people in difficult areas to be considered for support. By the end of August, the City’s VFF Committee had allocated 840 tonnes of rice and VND17.4 billion to the districts to support the above people. The total amount of rice and money, worth over VND33 billion, was taken from the budget allocated for the prevention and control of the epidemic by various organisations, agencies, enterprises and individuals.
As soon as three villages in Hoa Tien commune, Hoa Vang district, were placed under a medical blockade, the district’s VFF committee, agencies and organisations called for donors to provide food and necessities to the locals. All poor and near-poverty households and those facing difficulties received from 10 to 20kg of rice each. In addition, the district authorities mobilised donations to provide each local person with a daily ration of food for the 14 days of isolation.
In addition to the support of the VFF Committee, associations and unions have implemented programmes to take care of the poor, including calling for donors and the coordination of ministries, wards and communes. Accordingly, there were many models of support involving food and necessities for people living in difficult circumstances such as: the zero VND market, zero VND booth, mobile supermarket and rice ATM. They were put at student hostels, universities, wards and residential areas to ensure that the donations could be brought to all poor people.
There were more than 60 charity groups in Da Nang City offering practical support to vulnerable groups affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The young people from the Van Tinh Kitchen Club, with volunteer buses, appeared twice a day on all streets in Da Nang to help the poor. Amidst the first COVID-19 outbreak in March, the club donated 140,000 meals worth VND2.8 billion and opened the zero VND supermarket worth VND234 million for needy people. In the second outbreak, the club’s members continued to call for resources and presented 5,000 gifts worth total VND875 million to the isolated area and students from other provinces. In addition, the club helped over 2,000 patients and their relatives from the central provinces go home.
Many residential areas in Nam Sach, Binh Giang and Gia Loc district and Hai Duong city in the province of the same name were placed under medical isolation. Many enterprises, organisations and individuals donated money and medical equipment worth billions of VND to local people facing difficulties. Since August 25, wards and communes in Hai Duong City collected necessities worth about VND800 million for 2,546 poor and near-poverty households affected by the COVID-19 epidemic. In addition, many practical activities, such as spots to offer free necessities, “face mask” ATMs and automatic hand washers were added to support the locals in the prevention and control of the epidemic.
Deputy Secretary of Hai Duong Provincial Youth Union, Trinh Ngoc Anh, said that the union called for donations via social networks to help around 100 poor and near-poverty households in Truc Tri village, Quoc Tuan commune (Nam Sach district). Vu Duy Ai from Ke Sat town offered 400 servings of nutritious porridge to patients at Binh Giang district’s medical station.
Working with enterprises and employees to overcome difficulties
The resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic in many provinces and cities has disrupted the disbursement of financial supports for the remaining objects of the first phase under the Government's VND62 trillion support package. Once the payment for revolutionary contributors, social protection beneficiaries and poor and near-poverty households was disbursed, Quang Tri’s provincial relevant agencies urgently gave support to business households, employees and employers that are facing difficulties due to COVID-19 in accordance with Government Resolution No.42/NQ-CP and the Prime Minister’s Decision No.15/QD-TTg.
Deputy Director of Quang Tri provincial Department of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs, Duong Thi Hai Yen, said that, as of August 31, the department had submitted a list and supporting fund worth over VND13.284 billion for 13,110 employees and business households affected by the epidemic to the provincial People’s Committee. Accordingly, the provincial People’s Committee approved over 13,082 beneficiaries with a total fund of over VND13.256 billion. The others are being considered.
Meanwhile, the disbursement of financial support for the disadvantaged under a VND62 trillion COVID-19 bailout package from the Government has not been completed in the southern province of Dong Nai. Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, Nguyen Hoa Hiep, asked the localities and the provincial Department of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs to clarify the responsibilities of each organisation or individual in reviewing and submitting the list of people receiving the support.
According to the President of the Dong Nai Labour Confederation, Nguyen Thi Nhu Y, the province has gathered many workers. Therefore, trade unions at all levels have performed various activities to support them, while working with the enterprises to maintain their jobs for them. In addition to boosting epidemic prevention and control, the trade unions will continue to thoroughly grasp the working situation, feelings and aspirations of employees to solidify regimes and policies for them in accordance with law. The relevant agencies will work with the enterprises and workers to overcome this difficult period.
