 Communications on COVID-19 pandemic to people in Nghia Lo town, Yen Bai province. (Photo: danvan.vn) |
The government has issued a number of incentive policies to help ethnic minority people in this difficult time and has monitored the implementation to ensure that the right persons are benefitted.
Helping ethnic minority people survive the pandemic
COVID-19 information has been disseminated to ethnic minority communities in many forms. Pamphlets and other printed publications on pandemic prevention and control have been delivered to communities in mountain regions.
The mass media have increased pandemic reporting in ethnic languages. Vietnam Television and The Voice of Vietnam have produced 450 propaganda video clips, 650 reports, and hundreds of documentaries and short plays in ethnic languages about COVID-19.
News agencies have helped ethnic minority people access information on current pandemic and preventive measures so they can protect themselves. COVID-19 testing, contact tracing, and quarantining and have been carried out in every ethnic minority hamlet.
Trinh Quang Tri, Director of the Dak Lak provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said: “We have conducted PCR tests of everyone in a locked down hamlet and test a representative of a family in localities with no infection. Depending on the epidemiological situation of each locality, Dak Lak’s CDC will work with local health facilities to organize rapid or Real Time PCR tests.”
Provinces and cities have facilitated vaccination of ethnic minority people. Localities have upgraded medical faiclities and equipment. State agencies, social organizations, and individuals have helped organize free medical checks and given free medicines to social beneficiaries, poor people, and people living in remote, isolated areas.
Healthcare for ethnic minority people infected with COVID-19
 Minister, Head of the National Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs Hau A Lenh |
A lot of ethnic minority people have left their homes for other provinces and cities to earn a living. The National Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs reported that, from April 27 to September 1, 3,300 ethnic minority people contracted COVID-19.
Early this month, Minister, Head of the National Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs Hau A Lenh announced assistance for 300 poor and near-poor households and students in HCMC infected with the coronavirus. Assistance in the first phase totaled 20,700 USD. The second phase will cover all ethnic minority people with COVID-19. In addition to helping individuals, the Committee has helped provinces provide food to ethnic minority people in quarantine facilities.
The Committee has asked provinces and cities to conduct surveys on the impacts of COVID-19 in order to set appropriate post-pandemic policies. Minister Lenh said the lives of ethnic minority people need to be protected while developing the economy and containing the pandemic.
“The Committee will work with ministries, sectors, and localities to carry out support policies for economic development. We continue to care about the lives of ethnic minority people and listen to their wishes so we can promptly resolve their problems,” said Lenh.
Taking care of ethnic minority people has been the consistent policy of the Vietnamese Party and State. The Government regularly allocates resources to guarantee the well-being of ethnic minority people.