Join hands to take care of the elderly's health

Reporter: Could you tell us how the Provincial Department of Population has implemented the Provincial Health Care Program for the Elderly in the first 9 months of 2024?

Head of the Department Dao Anh Thai: Strictly implementing Decision No. 1579/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister, the direction of the Ministry of Health , the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee, and the Department of Health, in the past 9 months, the Vinh Phuc Provincial Department of Population has synchronously deployed 2 main contents, which are: Doing a good job of disseminating, thoroughly grasping, propagating and organizing the implementation of tasks with high results at all 3 levels (province, district, city and grassroots). The functional agencies, in which the Provincial Department of Population and the Provincial Elderly Association are the core, synchronously deployed the activities.

Branch Director Dao Anh Thai

The Provincial Department of Population has Plan No. 08/KH-CCDS, dated February 28, 2024, to deploy activities for Elderly Health Care in the whole province in 2024 and in collaboration with the Provincial Elderly Association Executive Board to organize a Conference to provide information and knowledge on elderly health care for nearly 200 officials of the Elderly Association at all levels. The Department, together with functional agencies of the province, district and city, launched many propaganda campaigns, seminars, and training courses on elderly care counseling skills; integrated elderly health care activities into the activities of the Elderly Care Clubs; built elderly health care clubs, especially in preventing common diseases in the elderly... All facilities have promoted propaganda and guidance so that the elderly are provided with knowledge, receive health care at home, in the community and are able to take care of their own health.

In the first 9 months of 2024, 100% of Party committees and authorities at all levels will invest budgets in elderly health care; over 80,000 elderly people will receive regular health check-ups; 40% of elderly people will be detected, treated, and managed for non-communicable diseases; 100% of elderly people who are unable to care for themselves will receive health care from their families and communities; nearly 50% of communes, wards, and towns will have at least 1 elderly health care club and 1 volunteer team participating in elderly health care; over 10% of communes, wards, and towns will meet the criteria of an elderly-friendly environment...

Most of the grassroots health stations have improved their capacity to provide primary health care services and prevent non-communicable diseases for the elderly at home and in the community. Currently, the whole province has more than 186,300 elderly people with health insurance cards, reaching nearly 96% of the total number of elderly people; the province has 1 Phuc Yen Regional General Hospital which has established a Geriatrics Department; at the district level, there are 9 medical examination facilities and 136 health stations (with at least 1 doctor/station); the provincial General Hospital arranges and sets up separate treatment beds for the elderly; the whole province promotes the development of a network of volunteers with expertise in participating in health care for the elderly...

PV: On the occasion of "Action Month for the Elderly in Vietnam" in 2024, could you please tell us about the tasks of taking care of the elderly's health in Vinh Phuc province in the last months of 2024 as well as preparing for 2025?

Head of the Department Dao Anh Thai: The work of taking care of the elderly in Vinh Phuc province over the past years and in the first 9 months of 2024 has achieved remarkable results but still faces difficulties. Knowing that increased life expectancy is one of the achievements, however, the rapid aging of the population poses great challenges regarding the need to change the social security system, labor, employment, transportation, entertainment... especially the elderly health care system. The majority of the elderly in Vinh Phuc live in rural areas, facing the burden of "compound diseases"; the primary health care system has not adapted to the rapid aging of the population...

However, the health of the elderly is a valuable asset, which is respected and cared for by the Party and the State, so Vinh Phuc province always has practical and effective solutions to take care of the health of the elderly in the whole province such as: Strengthening the leadership and direction of Party committees and authorities at all levels and the coordination of all levels, sectors and organizations, and mobilizing social organizations to join hands in the work of taking care of the health of the elderly; increasing investment in activities to take care of the health of the elderly; improving the capacity of commune, ward and town health stations in providing primary health care services, preventing infectious diseases for the elderly at home and in the community; developing clubs and networks of volunteers to take care of the health of the elderly; promoting propaganda and consulting on knowledge to maintain the health of the elderly; Review and complete policies and laws in accordance with the actual situation of the province on elderly care in the area according to Decision 1579/QD-TTg dated October 13, 2020 of the Prime Minister to proactively carry out the tasks in 2025...

To create a strong impression of the whole population caring for and joining hands to take care of the health of the elderly as well as to arouse the spirit and awareness of each elderly person to take care of their own health, on the occasion of the "Month of Action for the Elderly in Vietnam" in 2024, districts and cities in the province are enthusiastically organizing the "Health Care for the Elderly" Contest...

PV: Thank you very much, Branch Director!

Source: https://ngaymoionline.com.vn/chi-cuc-dan-so-tinh-vinh-phuc-chung-tay-cham-soc-suc-khoe-nguoi-cao-tuoi-55560.html