Binh Duong is flexible, creative in implementing social welfare policies

Early August 16, a delegation of the National Assembly's Social Affairs Committee, led by Dang Thuan Phong, Vice-Chairman of the National Assembly's Social Affairs Committee, had a working session with provincial People's Committee on the implementation of policies and laws on social insurance for the period 2016-2021, urgent health and social measures in Covid-19 prevention and control in the spirit of the National Assembly’s Resolution No. 30/2021/QH15. Nguyen Loc Ha, member of provincial Party Standing Committee, Vice-Chairman of provincial People's Committee and leaders of departments, agencies and sectors in the province received the delegation.

Proposal for policy of using drugs for pandemic prevention and control

According to a report by provincial People's Committee, the ratio of people participating in social insurance every year increased during the 2016-2021 period. The collection and expenditure of social insurance premium accounted for about 6% of the national revenue and ranked 3rd among 63 provinces and cities nationwide. However, according to the Politburo’s Resolution No.21-NQ/TW, the ratio of people participating in voluntary social insurance must reach 1% of the total number of workers forced to participate in social insurance. But, the province's mobilization level was only less than 1%. According to statistics, the whole province had more than 8,500 micro enterprises with 20,000 employees, accounting for nearly 50% of the total number of units participating in social insurance. It was very difficult for the local social insurance agency to collect debts from these enterprises. This was because these micro enterprises did not have fixed headquarters or no longer operated, but did not declare to tax agencies in order to carry out procedures for dissolution.

Binh Duong has been flexible and creative in implementing policies to ensure social welcome. In picture: Nguyen Hoang Thao, Pernament Vice-Secretary of provincial Party Committee presents gifts, money to orphans, due to Covid-19 epidemic

Le Minh Ly, Director of provincial Social Insurance Agency, shared: “The current situation of dealing with long-term social insurance debts for enterprises that are bankrupt, dissolved have still not had any documents or guidelines for settlement from central level. Meanwhile, there is the overlap of laws with different regulations on subjects required to participate in social insurance. Typically, people working under labor contracts with a term from 1 month to less than 3 months only pay compulsory social insurance under the Article 2 of the Law on Social Insurance and Article 43 of the Law on Labor Safety and Health, but do not pay for health insurance and unemployment insurance because the Law on Health Insurance and the Law on Employment do not stipulate. This has partly caused difficulties in revenue management.”

Regarding the implementation of urgent socio-medical measures in Covid-19 prevention and control in the spirit of the National Assembly’s Resolution No. 30/2021/QH15, Binh Duong has strictly implemented its “4 on-site” motto; promoted propaganda on Covid-19 prevention-control and vaccination against the pandemic. Especially, the province has promptly implemented central support policies and specific local support ones to ensure social welfare and minimize the impact of the pandemic on people's lives.

Dr.Nguyen Hong Chuong, Director of provincial Department of Health (DoH) said: When the Covid-19 pandemic occurred, provincial People's Committee promptly directed the DoH and public heathcare facilities to bid for drug supply under the form of appointment of contractors, ensuring compliance with procurement regulations under the list of the Ministry of Health to supply medicine for 173 isolation areas, 10 field hospitals and 33 treatment areas. During the period, it was very difficult for the sector to predict the amount of drugs needing to be reserved so that there was no excess, no shortage.

Up to now, the amount of drugs purchased from the State budget has still been in stock with a total value of more than VND 23 billion. Some drugs have a short shelf life. It is very wasteful if they are not changed their purpose of use. The province has requested competent authorities to give a policy of using anti-pandemic drugs to treat non-Covid-19 patients, those without health insurance cards...

Researching solutions for sustainable social development needed

Speaking at the meeting, Tran Dinh Lieu, Deputy General Director of Vietnam Social Insurance analyzed: Currently, the province has over 927,000 employees participating in compulsory social insurance, but there were more than 1 million workers with the participation  in the previous period. Thus, the province is short of about 100,000 workers joining compulsory social insurance. For sustainable economic development, the province needs to set up policies to attract, support employees and their families to return to the labor market, especially in the last months of 2022.

Dang Thuan Phong, Deputy Head of the National Assembly's Social Affairs Committee speaks at the meeting

Meanwhile, Pham Truong Giang, Director of the Social Insurance Department under the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs stated: “Binh Duong has not yet had a policy to support additional contributions for participants of voluntary social insurance from the local State budget. In the coming time, provincial Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, Social Insurance Agency will coordinate with relevant departments and agencies to submit a policy to support those who join voluntary social insurance to provincial People's Council and People's Committee for approval.  

Speaking at the meeting, Dang Thuan Phong highly appreciated the implementation of the National Assembly’s Resolution No. 30/2021/QH15 in the province. The province's highlight is that it is serious and proactive in promulgating legal documents close to reality, meeting urgent needs during the unprecedented pandemic period. However, the delegation suggested that provincial People's Committee should soon submit the policy to support people to pay voluntary social insurance and health insurance premiums to provincial People's Council for approval; connect information between sectors to grasp and closely manage workers and labor market movements; have specific policies to retain employees; monitor and manage laborers of enterprises to improve management efficiency and protect workers' rights and interests; research policies on socio-economic recovery, the risk of falling back into poverty after the pandemic in the coming time.

Nguyen Loc Ha, member of provincial Party Standing Committee, Vice-Chairman of provincial People's Committee: In 2 years of epidemic prevention and control with unprecedented measures, Binh Duong has flexibly and creatively promulgated specific policies to support people with the goal of hunger relief and social welfare. Through the reality of the local pandemic prevention and control, provincial People's Committee suggested departments and sectors to review and study more policies. If they are not compatible with the actual situation, they should be proposed to the National Assembly for change to ensure smooth and sustainable development.

Reported by Hoang Linh-Translated by Kim Tin

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