The plan was issued at a meeting of Viet Nam Social Security, chaired by General Director Nguyen The Manh on November 2, in an effort to assist people who suffered the most from recent floods and storms.

The meeting was held to respond to the call of Party and State leaders to share difficulties with the people in the most flood-hit areas.

Under the plan, Viet Nam Social Security will set up five teams to visit 10 flood-hit provinces to give insurance cards and donate VND200 million (US$8,600) to each. The money will be withdrawn from the fund for charities of the sector.

Accordingly, people living in the provinces, who are eligible to participate in household health insurance, but are yet to participate, will be given the health insurance cards.

It is estimated that a maximum of 250 health insurance cards would be awarded to people, living in the areas which suffered the most from recent floods and storms in each province, the plan said.

Besides, the sector also directed its branches in 63 provinces and cities nationwide to continue to call for donations from individuals and organisations to buy more health insurance cards for people in flood-hit areas.

Manh said that health insurance cards were a meaningful gift sent from all officers and staff of the sector to the people, who suffered the most from recent floods and storms.

The trip by the sector’s delegation to the affected provinces had two aims – first, to visit the affected people and second, to grasp the implementation of social and health insurance in the localities. Thereby, the sector would issue solutions to fix the situation if needed, he said.

Previously, the sector donated VND1 billion (US$43,100) to the flood-hit provinces’ residents via the Viet Nam Fatherland Front after it launched a fundraising drive on October 20 to call on its officers and staff to support affected people.

Later, the sector also issued document No 3404/BHXH-VP to instruct its branches in the provinces of Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen and Khanh Hoa to both prepare for upcoming storms and ensure payments for health insurance participants in the localities.

All officers and staff of the sector contributed to a fund to buy 3,300 health insurance cards for near-poor and underprivileged households in the country during the 2016-20 period to respond to the movement of “The whole country joins hands for the poor – No one left behind”, launched by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc./.