Deputy Prime Minister H.E Vu Duc Dam highly appreciates Vietnam Red Cross’s humanitarian activities

31/10/2023 - 05:10

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam appreciates the humanitarian activities conducted by Vietnam Red Cross Society. The Vietnam Red Cross has been successful in humanitarian diplomacy and advocacy, which make the National Society be able to support millions of poor and disabled people to have a warm and happy new year.

Deputy Prime Minister H.E Vu Duc Dam visited Vietnam Red Cross Headquarters

At the meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam o­n the occasion of his visit to Vietnam Red Cross (VNRC) Headquarters, VNRC’s President Nguyen Thi Xuan Thu briefed the VNRC’s outstanding activities in 2017, with significant achievements in all the key priorities of the National Society: the successful organization of the 10th National Congress at all levels, the Campaign “Tet for the poor and Agent Orange Victims” – 2017 and the Cow Bank Project. The total value of humanitarian works in 2017 is over 3,825 billion Vietnam Dong, with more than 8 million disadvantaged people and people with disabilities (double counted) have been reached.

In addition, the Vietnam Red Cross always active in community health care through communication o­n road safety, diseases prevention, provision of first aid training and first aid services, implementation of humanitarian health check-up in collaboration with different organizations, water and sanitation programs, etc. VND 756 billion have been spent o­n this area, supporting more than 11 million people. Moreover, the VNRC conducted  many voluntary blood donation campaigns in 2017. Through the nationwide campaigns, over 1.380.000 blood units have been donated, accounting for 107% of the year’s target, of which 98% are non-remunerated voluntary blood donation. The number of blood donors accounted for 1.6% of the country’s population.

2017 was also a year of disasters, with large number of disasters hit Vietnam such as floods, landslides, flash floods, typhoons, in a wide geographical areas from northern mountainous provinces to the Northern Central and Southern Central regions.  In order to help people overcome the consequences caused by natural disasters, VNRC has promptly appealed for support from domestic and international donors to assist and support vulnerable people affected by disasters. Taking the emergency operation after typhoon Damrey (namely typhoon 12) as an example, VNRC  has mobilised and implemented programs and projects with the total value of 74 billion Vietnam Dong, directly support over 30,600 households (128,500 people) in 152 communes of 48 districts in 7 provinces worst affected. Currently, VNRC Headquarters is implementing 20 programs and projects o­n disaster preparedness and response, including 10 development projects and 10 emergency relief projects with total value of over 96,5 billion VND. The total value of disaster preparedness and response of the whole National Society in 2017 was  240 billion VND, supporting 578 thousand of people.

The year of 2017 also witnessed the success of the VNRC’s international cooperation activities – the successful organization of the 14th Southeast Asia Leaders Meeting 2017 as the host National Society; participation in the 21st General Assembly of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies; Celebration of the 60-year membership of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (November 1957 – November 1977).

In order to have better conditions for the VNRC to effectively implement Government’s Directions in the upcoming years, the Vietnam Red Cross President Nguyen Thi Xuan Thu reiterated some proposals to the Government:(1)topay attention, to and direct related Ministries, governmental agencies toimplement the Conclusions of the Prime Minister according to Notification No. 331 / TB-VPCP dated 02/8/2017, issued by the Government Office; (2) to articulate the Directive of the Prime Minister o­n Red Cross operation as agreed in the meeting between the Prime Minister,  VNRC and ministries in February, 2018; (3) to permit VNRC to undertake the first aid training, especially for people working in sectors with high risk of injury, and provide first-aid certificates; (4) to consider the proposal of VNRC to take part in blood collection, storage and processing through the establishment of Blood Center(s) in the form of public-private partnerships to meet the need of blood supply for public and private hospitals. The Vietnam Red Cross will mobilize the IFRC and other National Societies to support o­n techniques, equipment and expertsto meet the standards set by the Ministry of Health; (5) continue to support and provide further guidance for VNRC and the Vietnam Medical Association  to rebuild the office building and service facility at 68 Ba Trieu street under public- privatepartnership model, as agreed in principle by the Prime Minister;(6)Direct Ministry of Foreign Affairs and related agencies to speed up the permission granting process, with preferential treatments  for the International Committee of the Red Cross to set up a representative office in Vietnam soon.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam acknowledges and highly appreciates the efforts of the Vietnam Red Cross. In the recent years, the National Society has been successful in humanitarian diplomacy and advocacy which make VNRC able to reach millions of disadvantaged families, especially the support provided to poor families o­n the occasion of the Tet holiday, ensuring everyone has sufficient supplies and enjoys Tet with their family members. He emphasizes that Prime Minister has always paid attention to and created enabling environment for the humanitarian activities of the Vietnam Red Cross. In regards to the proposal of the Vietnam Red Cross for a Directive of Prime Minister to be issued, the Government will urge related agencies and ministries to finalize the draft for perusal and approval soon. However, some proposals of the Vietnam Red Cross should be further developed in more details through the consultation process with related ministries and authorities such as working with the Ministry of Health to develop proposals for the establishment of blood or first aid services centers. The Deputy Prime Minister is very much impressed by the achievements of the voluntary blood donation program of Vietnam which the VNRC has played significant role. O­n the occasion of the Lunar New year, he expressed the best wishes to the good health of all staff, members of the National Society and to the good success of Red Cross movement in Vietnam which help alleviating the sufferings of those most vulnerable.

Group photo: Deputy Prime Minister H.E Vu Duc Dam, Vietnam Red Cross’ Leadership and staffs

Reported by Doan Trang

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