Article 1.- To approve the national action program on the Vietnamese elderly in the 2005-2010 period with the following principal contents:

1. The program's objectives

a/ The overall objectives

To bring into play the elderly's role and to raise the quality of care for the elderly in conformity with the country's potentials and socio-economic development level; to step up the socialization of activities of assisting the elderly.

b/ Specific objectives:

- To bring into play the elderly's role and experiences in various aspects of social life; to create conditions for the elderly to efficiently participate in activities suitable to their demands and capabilities; to achieve equality in benefiting from fruits of the development process.

- To increase the physical and spiritual health of the elderly; to raise the quality of the elderly's life.

- To build up a favorable environment for activities of the elderly; to develop the social welfare network (social insurance and social relief), with special importance being attached to the lonely, disabled, ethnic minority elders; poor elders, aged women, persons aged over 90.

2. Major targets by 2010

a/ 95% of the elderly have had their material and spiritual life improved.

b/ 100% of the elderly shall have been given medical examination and treatment when they get ill and been taken care of by their families and communities; if elders are poor, they shall have been given free-of-charge medical examination and treatment.

c/ 100% of the lonely and incomeless elders shall have enjoyed monthly social allowance and free medical examination and treatment.

d/ 100% of the persons who are aged 90 or over, have no pensions and other social allowances shall have enjoyed monthly social allowances and been provided with health insurance cards free of charge.

e/ 100% of the elderly shall not have to live in makeshifts.

f/ 80% of communes, wards and district townships throughout the country shall have had elderly care funds which operate fruitfully.

3. Major activities in implementation of the program

a/ Activities of bringing into play the elderly's role

Authorities, branches, families and communities shall encourage and create conditions for the elderly to practice physical exercises, to participate in study to raise their intellectual levels, to contribute their experience and knowledge to the cause of building and safeguarding the Fatherland, mainly in the following aspects:

- Creating environment and conditions for the elderly to bring into play their talents, intellects and fine quality in their participation in socio-cultural activities.

- Encouraging, mobilizing and creating conditions for the elderly to participate in such economic activities as restoration and teaching of traditional crafts, agricultural, fishery and/or forestry promotion... according to their respective specific conditions and capabilities.

- Creating favorable environment for the elderly to engage in life-long study and pass their cultural, social, scientific and technological knowledge as well as professional skills to young generations, to set bright examples and take the lead and act as the core in the movement for building a learning society, to build fond-of- learning families, family lines.

- Creating conditions for the elderly to contribute their opinions to formulation of policies and laws, particularly those on matters related to the elderly, professional and technical consultancy as well as scientific and technological research and application, particularly in the fields of health, education, scientific and technological research, etc.

b/ Stepping up the propagation for, and education in, the work of caring for, and promoting the role of, the elderly:

- The mass media agencies shall include the issue of elderly in their programs of regular propagation, creating columns and specialized programs on activities of the elderly; on exemplary grandparents and parents, dutiful children and grandchildren, particularly with good models of disabled or female elders carrying out economic activities with high efficiency or rendering great services to making contributions to the work of child care and education, particularly for orphans, HIV/AIDS-infected persons.

- Raising the quality of specialized programs of Vietnam Television and the Radio Voice of Vietnam on the elderly.

- Propagating for, educating in, the tradition of respect for the aged people, respecting, showing gratitude to and assisting the elderly.

- Disseminating scientific information and knowledge in order to restrict pathogenic dangers for the elderly, to increase safety in the use of medicine, to combat the abuse of curative medicine for the elderly.

c/ Activities of taking initiative in preparing for the old age:

- Propagating, mobilizing people to actively participate in social insurance, life insurance, health insurance; to practice thrift in expenditure even when still young so as to accumulate money for ailment and old age; to voluntarily contribute to charity, humanitarian funds, elderly care and nurture funds.

- Family members should take initiative in inquiring into the psychology and legitimate aspirations of the elders in their families; learn the methods and skills of caring for the elders in terms of their health and spiritual life, etc.

- The State shall adopt mechanisms to encourage people to practice thrift in expenditure, to participate in social insurance, thus securing their lives when getting old; perfect mechanisms and policies on allowance, nurture, primary healthcare and medical treatment for the elderly; formulate an appropriate salary mechanism for accumulation, broadening the policies of health insurance (both voluntary and obligatory) for regional and international integration.

d/ Activities of raising the material life:

- Encouraging organizations and individuals to take care of the lonely and incomeless elders, and at the same time developing and raising the quality of social relief establishments in caring for elders. Encouraging and supporting activities of mutual concern and care among generations in families, mutual assistance in villages and communities. Building models of community-based assistance to lonely and disabled elders such as the models of social homes, homes for the aged, convalescence- functional rehabilitation establishments, daytime care centers, at-home care service centers.

- Launching movements and mobilizing resources for, and organizing the reduction of, poverty for the elderly, eradicating dilapidated houses of lonely elders.

e/ Activities of improving health:

- Intensifying activities of consultancy, guidance, fostering and training in knowledge about self-care and health improvement for the elderly and their families.

- Encouraging the development of material-technical foundations of the public and non-public health service systems with importance being attached to:

+ Stepping up the establishment of geriatric departments in district- and provincial-level hospitals.

+ Developing the system of healthcare service centers for the elderly, encouraging free-of-charge medical examination and treatment.

+ Building and developing networks of community-based healthcare and functional rehabilitation for elders.

- Stepping up the implementation of the approved programs, including:

+ The program on prevention, early detection and treatment of mental illnesses and dental diseases among elders.

+ The program on research into geriatric ailments.

+ The program on trainings and drills to raise the capabilities of the contingent of social workers, collaborators and volunteers providing consultancy and care for the elderly.

f/ Activities of raising the cultural and spiritual life:

- Enhancing gender equality for the elderly through raising the society's awareness and including gender issues in socio-economic development programs as well as national target programs. Encouraging and supporting the elderly to bring into play their role in family life and communities.

- Building a cultured lifestyle and environment of communication with the elderly at public places for people of all age groups. Encouraging and maintaining family, descent and community ties in caring for, and promoting the role of, the elderly.

- Organizing cultural, physical training- sport, entertainment and recreation activities suitable to the elderly, supporting and creating favorable conditions for the establishment of cultural or sport clubs of elders in localities.

g/ Encouraging, supporting activities of building local elderly care funds under the provisions of law in order to assist elders in difficult economic plights, lonely, disabled or frequently ill elders.

h/ Expanding and raising the quality of activities of the elderly and the Elders' Associations. Intensifying activities of assisting elders in difficult plights.

i/ Organizing scientific research into elders' biology and psychology; perfecting mechanisms and policies so as to better care for, and bring into play the role of, the elderly in various domains under the provisions of the Ordinance on the Elderly.

j/ Stepping up multilateral and bilateral international cooperation as well as non-governmental cooperation, particularly on the perfection of basic social welfare system related to the elderly.

4. Funding for program execution

To be included in the annual state budget estimates according to the state budget decentralization and to be mobilized from domestic and foreign organizations as well as individuals under current provisions of law.

Article 2.- Organization of implementation

1. Vietnam National Committee for the Elderly:

To direct ministries, branches, relevant agencies and provincial/municipal People's Committees to draw up plans and organize the execution of the program; to guide, inspect, assess and sum up the attainment of the program's objectives assigned to the ministries and branches and annually report thereon to the Prime Minister; to inspect, supervise, assess, preliminarily and finally review in 2007 and 2010 the situation of implementation of the program.

2. The Health Ministry shall have to professionally and technically guide medical examination and treatment establishments in providing healthcare for elders according to the contents of the national action program; to develop forms of education in, and dissemination of, universal knowledge about physical training, self-care, health improvement, disease prevention and combat for the elderly.

3. The Ministry of Education and Training shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the relevant ministries and branches in, formulating regimes and policies, creating conditions for elders to practice life-long study, to continue participating in regular, non-public or in-service education-training as well as learning promotion activities, contributing to building a learning society according to their respective capabilities and conditions.

4. The Ministry of Culture and Information shall assume the prime responsibility for, and direct the Radio Voice of Vietnam, the Vietnam Television Station, news agencies and press agencies to coordinate with relevant bodies in, informing and propagating contents of activities related to the elderly; organize forums, workshops, seminars on and for the elderly; guide activities of cultural clubs of elders; coordinate with mass organizations in organizing cultural and art activities of elders.

5. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall coordinate with relevant ministries and branches in directing and creating conditions for elders in good health conditions to participate in activities generating incomes and jobs in the field of agriculture and rural development; direct and support activities of such professional organizations as the Biotope Association, the Gardeners' Association, which involve large number of aged people.

6. The Committee for Population, Family and Children shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with relevant ministries and branches in, formulating and implementing specific plans on the program's activities in association with the building of abundant, equal, progressive, happy and sustainable families; coordinate with relevant bodies in directing the implementation of the "exemplary grandparents and parents and dutiful children and grandchildren" campaign.

7. The Physical Training and Sport Committee shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Culture and Information and agencies in, propagating, agitating and guiding aged people to participate in physical training and sport activities; guide activities and open training and fostering courses for physical training and sport officials for health clubs of elders; guide and organize workshops for elders.

8. The Nationalities Committee shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with relevant ministries, branches and mass organizations in, directing the care for, and promotion of the role of, the elderly in mountainous and ethnic minority regions.

9. The Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Finance Ministry shall allocate support funding from the central budget for activities of caring for, and promoting the role of, the elderly under this Decision and activities of Vietnam National Committee for the Elderly; guide the establishment, management and use of the elderly care funds.

10. The Ministry of Home Affairs shall coordinate with relevant ministries and branches in guiding localities on the establishment and operation of the Working Boards for the Elderly in provinces and centrally run cities; coordinate with the Finance Ministry in guiding the establishment of the elderly care funds.

11. The Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs shall coordinate with relevant ministries and branches in formulating and submitting to competent bodies for promulgation policies on assistance to, and promotion of the role of, the elderly; draw up plan for achievement of the targets on social allowance and health insurance for the elderly.

12. Provincial/municipal People's Committees shall base themselves on this action program to formulate and realize the objectives of caring for, and bringing into play the role of, the elderly in their local annual and five-year socio-economic development plans; incorporate the program's activities in the national target programs and other relevant socio-economic development plans in the localities; allocate support funding for activities of the local Elders' Associations according to current state budget decentralization; and annually report on the implementation results to the presidents of Vietnam National Committee for the Elderly and the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs.

13. The Central Committee of Vietnam Fatherland Front and the Front's member organizations, Vietnam Elders' Association are requested to draw up plans to direct their chapters in localities to mobilize the strength of the entire population for the work of caring for, and bringing into play the role of, the elderly in association with the building of cultured families, particularly the questions of gender equality, paying attention to lonely and disabled elders, aged people in deep-lying, remote or ethnic minority areas and the achievement of the target of getting rid of makeshifts, providing winter clothes, etc., to aged people.

Article 3.- This Decision takes effect 15 days after its publication in "CONG BAO."

Article 4.- The president of the Vietnam National Committee for the Elderly, ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of Government-attached agencies, and presidents of provincial/municipal People's Committees shall have to implement this Decision.