He made these remarks during a working session with VSS units on September 8, focusing on ensuring benefits for social insurance and health insurance participants following typhoon Yagi.

VSS director general Nguyen The Manh chairs a meeting with relevant VSS units on ensuring the rights of social insurance and health insurance participants after typhoon Yagi

Manh stated that VSS leaders convened before Yagi's arrival in Vietnam to issue directives to the social security offices in the provinces and cities expected to be affected by the storm.

The VSS requested that all heads of relevant units and social security offices remain on duty, make thorough preparations, develop plans, and concentrate all resources on ensuring full and timely benefits for social insurance and health insurance participants. This includes adopting adaptable measures for health insurance examinations and treatments in the event of natural disasters.

During the working session, a report on the typhoon damages was presented, along with a summary on handling social insurance, health insurance, unemployment insurance regimes, and health insurance treatment for the typhoon-hit areas.

Following the remarks of VSS deputy director generals and chiefs of VSS units, Director General Manh stated that despite the significant destruction caused by the typhoon, the sector had finished the responsibilities entrusted to it.

Localities have adopted a number of measures to assist citizens and businesses, guaranteeing that benefits and policies related to social insurance, health insurance, and unemployment insurance are continuously enjoyed, he said.

In order to guarantee that residents of typhoon-affected areas receive the full benefits of social insurance and health insurance with the quickest and easiest procedures, Manh ordered heads of pertinent units, directors of social security offices in provinces and centrally-run cities, and directors of district-level social security offices to coordinate with local authorities.
The units have been told to assign leaders and permanent staff on duty to coordinate the execution of social insurance policies and procedures.

VSS officers must be dispatched to typhoon-affected areas that are isolated, severely damaged, have disrupted transportation, infrastructure, communication, and have lost power or water to assist local people.

The Director General ordered VSS units absolutely not leave residents without medical check-ups and treatment even in the event of disruptions of transportation, infrastructure, facilities after the typhoon and subsequent floods.

To ensure that all patients receive timely medical care, local social security offices must assign  workers to be on duty at healthcare facilities. This will enable them to promptly address issues related to patient medical treatment procedures, including health insurance cards and hospital transfer paperwork.

Priority for medical treatment should be given to individuals with serious or critical illnesses, accidents or injuries from areas affected by the typhoon and floods.

Directors of all-level social security offices must collaborate with the medical community, healthcare institutions, and other pertinent organisations to guarantee that there are adequate medications and medical supplies on hand. If a facility fails to fulfill professional standards, they must also promptly transfer patients to higher levels.

They must also organise health insurance-covered medical examination and treatment, provide medicine for people unable to visit medical facilities.

Advance payment is allowed for facilities that provide health insurance-covered medical examination and treatment to ensure smooth treatment during the storm.

Noting that the typhoon’s subsequences remain complicated, especially in the mountainous areas, Manh requested that directors of local social security offices not stay negligent but closely monitor the situation and update reports to local Party committees and authorities.

“The VSS always accompanies people, workers and medical facilities while they deal with the typhoon’s aftermath. All social insurance and health insurance benefits of people, workers and businesses will always be guaranteed in any circumstances,” Manh said./.