Vietnam to hold ceremony to commemorate pandemic victims: top legislator

A ceremony is expected to be held to commemorate those who have lost their lives to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (Photo: VNA)
National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (Photo: VNA)

The Vietnam Fatherland Front will coordinate with Ho Chi Minh City and relevant localities to organise the ceremony.

The event will take place online, Hue told the ongoing second session of the 15th legislature on November 11 morning.

To date, Vietnam has recorded over 22,700 COVID-19-related deaths nationwide.

The top legislator said that the pandemic has seriously affected production and business activities, livelihoods, employment and the lives of people and businesses, with more than 1.3 million people leaving Ho Chi Minh City and key economic provinces in the South to return home.

The legislative body proposed the Government and its members to analyse, evaluate, and have an overall solution to restore and develop the labour market in the country, create jobs for employees of other localities in the country when they have returned to their hometown.

Hue asked for efforts to carry out social welfare support packages to assist affected employees, and ensure that everyone can gain the most convenient and fastest access to these packages. He also stressed the need to strengthen the protection of children's rights, especially those orphaned due to the pandemic.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam also emphasised that it is necessary to focus on solving policies and benefits for workers returning to their hometown in the immediate future.

He suggested the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs worth with localities to have separate support packages for employees returning to work, along with the current support policy package for pandemic-affected employees.

The two major problems that must be solved as soon as possible are controlling the pandemic well and reopening schools because most workers have children studying in kindergartens and primary schools.