More support provided to the disadvantaged amid COVID-19

After 2 weeks of coordination between Hai Duong Parish and Tran Hung Dao Ward's Fatherland Front Committee in Hai Duong City, Hai Duong Province, the organisers raised total cash donations of VND500 million to providing free rice and necessities to local disadvantaged people.

The highlight of the programme was a "rice ATM" set up in Hai Duong City from April 16 to May 1, which allocated 20 tonnes of rice to 10,000 local people in difficult circumstances. As well as this, Hai Duong Parish also distributed 1,100 litres of cooking oil, more than 4,000 chicken eggs, 700 litres of fish sauce and 550 kg of MSG to local people.

In Hai Duong Province’s Tu Ky District, local authorities have disbursed VND630 million in financial support to households in the two communes of Tan Ky and Ngoc Ky, following Resolution No. 42/NQ-CP dated April 9, 2020 from the Government, regulating the distribution of a VND62 trillion financial support package to those affected by COVID-19.

Tu Ky, which is the first district in the province to provide support to people with meritorious services, social policy beneficiaries, and the poor and near-poor households under Government Resolution 42, is striving to complete the disbursement to difficult households across the whole district prior to May 10.

In Ninh Thuan Province, the provincial Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs announced that it has completed the disbursement from the package for three groups of people with meritorious services to the nation, social protection beneficiaries, and the poor and near-poor households, with a total expenditure for this phase of over VND106 billion. Currently, local authorities are urgently making a list of the remaining groups applicable to the package for approval, so that the assistance provided would be handed over to them no later than May 20.

To share in the difficulties with employees working at Him Lam Eco-Tourism Area, on May 2, the Trading and Construction No. 6 Co., Ltd. in Dien Bien Province presented gifts and necessities worth over VND120 million to 55 workers.

The Quang Nam Provincial Border Guard Command (R) present medical supplies to the Border Protection Company 531 from the Sekong Provincial Military Command of Laos. (Photo: NDO/Quoc Viet)

Also on May 2, Quang Nam Provincial Border Guard Command announced that it had visited and presented 1.7 tonnes of rice, 800 medical masks, 25 protective suits and other medical supplies to the Border Protection Company 531 of the Sekong Provincial Military Command of Laos to help them in the COVID-19 fight.

On the occasion, a delegation from Quang Nam Police also paid a visit and presented medical equipment, supplies and necessities to the Department of Security of Sekong Province, with a total value of over VND200 million.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Health has requested medical examination and treatment facilities to promote remote distance consultation and treatment services, with the upper level health facilities responsible for helping the lower level and providing counselling support to people in local areas, using authentic software or platforms that are in line with the provisions of law and ensure the safety and confidentiality of patients’ information.

The Ho Chi Minh City Centre for Disease Control has directed the implementation of tighter daily outpatient surveillance on COVID-19 patients that have been declared as recovered through daily laboratory sampling up until the 30th day following their discharge. In addition, for cases that have been discharged for more than 30 days, they will also be sampled again for surveillance.

On May 2, the Hanoi Department of Transport decided to allow Hanoi buses to operate normally at full capacity from May 4 but with strict implementation of anti-epidemic measures, including disinfecting the vehicles, equipping them with hand sanitisers, mandatory face mask wearing and arranging distancing between seats. In addition, buses must not transport more than 30 people at a time (including drivers and service personnel).