Action Month for the Elderly launched

The Vietnam Association of the Elderly, in coordination with the Ministry of Health and Hai Phong City, held a launching ceremony on October 1 in Hai Phong in response to the 2026 Action Month for the Elderly.

Attending the launching ceremony were Pham Thi Thanh Tra, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairwoman of the Vietnam National Committee on the Elderly; Le Ngoc Chau, Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Hai Phong Party Committee and Head of the Hai Phong Delegation of National Assembly Deputies; leaders of the Hai Phong People’s Council, People’s Committee and Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee, and nearly 500 outstanding older people.

Expressing respect, recognition and deep gratitude for the valuable contributions of older people throughout the periods of national construction and defense, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra, in her remarks at the launching ceremony, emphasized that the theme of the 2026 Action Month for the Elderly, “Communities joining hands to provide integrated care for older people amid population aging,” sets clear requirements for more comprehensive, coordinated, proactive and life-oriented care for older people.

Integrated care is not the sole responsibility of one sector, level of government or organization, but a shared responsibility of families, the State, communities and society as a whole. Therefore, all levels, sectors, localities and the Vietnam Association of the Elderly need to continue raising awareness and responsibility across the entire political system and society for elderly care.

The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that caring for older people is not about keeping them on the sidelines of life; providing good care is intended to give them better conditions to continue contributing to society, with families and communities serving as the foundation of elderly care.

Speaking in response at the launching ceremony, Secretary of the Hai Phong Party Committee Le Ngoc Chau said that with a population of nearly 4.6 million, Hai Phong is not only a central hub and growth driver of the Northern Key Economic Region, but also a place where the proud historical, cultural and traditional values of the “heroic port city and cultured Eastern region” converge and flourish.

Hai Phong has always identified caring for older people as a responsibility, an expression of care and an important task in its social welfare policies. During the 2021-2026 period alone, the city allocated more than VND 141 billion for visits and gifts and more than VND 251 billion to organize longevity and birthday celebrations for older people.

To ensure that the 2026 Action Month for the Elderly brings about clear changes in awareness and action, the Secretary of the Hai Phong Party Committee asked Party committees, authorities, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, socio-political organizations and the entire city to focus on a number of key tasks, including making elderly care and promoting the role of older people an important part of the city’s socio-economic development strategy.

In particular, Hai Phong will take the lead in applying technology and promoting digital transformation, striving to ensure that 100% of older people in the city are managed through electronic health records. At the same time, the city will pay attention to allocating land and mobilizing and prioritizing resources to develop cultural and sports facilities, parks and public spaces; and build an age-friendly environment and community so that older people can receive better care and live happily, healthily and meaningfully in their own communities.

On this occasion, the Vietnam Association of the Elderly and Hai Phong presented gifts to 10 90-year-old people living in the city.

The Vietnam Association of the Elderly presented the “For the Cause of Protecting, Caring for and Promoting the Role of Older People in Vietnam” Medals of Recognition to leaders of the Hai Phong Party Committee, People’s Council, People’s Committee and Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee, and honored organizations and individuals who made significant contributions to elderly affairs.

MAI LE - HOANG PHUOC