The proposal is included in the Population Bill, which is open for public scrutiny and feedback until June 12, even as Vietnam quickly becomes one of Asia’s fastest-aging nations.
The country has some 14.2 million people aged 60 or above, and the number is estimated to rise to 18 million by 2030.
By 2038 it will enter an aging-population period.
Aging is one of the major challenges in population management, impacting economic growth, social welfare, labor, infrastructure design, and, especially, healthcare.
The average life expectancy in Vietnam is high (74.7 years), but health is poor, with people spending 14 years suffering from illnesses, according to the ministry.
Elderly people often suffer from many non-communicable diseases that require lifelong treatment, such as hypertension, cardiovascular issues, diabetes, and dementia.
Their healthcare costs also rise, creating financial pressure on the health insurance system and government finances.
Vietnam has over 1,300 public hospitals, more than 100 of which are central or provincial hospitals with geriatric departments, but there are fewer than 1,800 healthcare workers trained in geriatrics.
The shortage of geriatricians and long-term care services is seen as a major challenge, Le Thanh Dung, director of the ministry’s population department, said.
In the event, the bill proposes a number of policies to develop human resources for senior healthcare, including offering scholarships and tuition support for people studying geriatrics, creating training programs for elderly care, funding community-based training for elderly healthcare workers, and encouraging organizations and individuals to provide scholarships and grants.
The ministry also plans to fully subsidize health insurance for elderly people who lack cover, estimated at 5%.
Many other countries are also addressing the aging issue.
Japan’s experience includes raising the minimum retirement age to 65 and providing work opportunities for elderly workers.
The country is tackling its aging problem through various measures, including incentivizing births and investing in technology and care systems.
South Korea has community policies for those aged 65 and above, including free or discounted fares for elderly people using public transport, health checkup programs and at-home care services.
In Vietnam, a policy implemented in 2021 has gradually increased the retirement age to 62 for men and 60 for women.
Other welfare policies such as free bus rides for people aged 60 and above have also been implemented.
But Dung believes these are only short-term solutions.
To adapt, policies ensuring social welfare for the elderly need to be legalized, as the large costs of social welfare would affect economic development, especially with the short transition period from population growth to an aging population and limited social resources, he said.
“Policies ensuring employment and financial security for seniors need to be specified to reduce the impact of a large elderly population, which leads to a shortage of labor.”
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Communications, September 22, 2021
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