Two ethnic minority girls wear masks while selling flowers to tourists at Tham Ma slope, northern mountain Hà Giang Province. — Photo courtesy of the MoH

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Health and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have called on people to take action to prevent COVID-19 pandemic for sustainable economic development through a photo series about the lives of ethnic minority traders in the northern mountain province of Hà Giang.

The photo series is part of a project on strengthening communication about COVID-19 prevention in the new normal for small businesses run by ethnic minorities in the province.

Medical staff check body temperatures of people at the health station of Đồng Văn Town. — Photo courtesy of the MoH

The project is a collaboration between the Ministry of Health, UNDP in Việt Nam and Embassy of Japan in Việt Nam with an aim to implement sustainable development goals towards fairness and equality in healthcare among ethnic groups in the country. It includes a series of communication activities that aim to enhance knowledge, understanding and changes in action and habits of people to stop the COVID-19 pandemic, especially among ethnic minorities.

The project’s activities have approached a large number of local officials, health workers, trade unions and small traders in four districts of Mèo Vạc, Đồng Văn, Quản Bạ and Yên Minh, and Hà Giang City.

A health worker teaches a small trader how to wash their hands at Sa Phin market  in Đồng Văn Town, Hà Giang Province.  — Photo courtesy of the MoH

The project helped local authorities have more essential resources to conduct disease prevention and control and provide local people, especially ethnic traders, with access to healthcare services and knowledge about disease prevention methods.

This will help to reduce the negative effects of COVID-19, so that people can continue to develop economically and sustainably, stabilise their lives and overcome difficulties such as farmland shortages, lack of domestic water and harsh natural conditions.

A Mong ethnic woman carries grass while wearing a face mask. — Photo courtesy of the MoH

 The series of photos was taken in late 2020 and early 2021 in four highlands districts: Đồng Văn, Mèo Vạc, Yên Minh and Quản Bạ, which are the poorest localities and the most inhabited by ethnic Mông people. The series displays the daily work of traders, especially when they have taken preventive measures for protecting the health and safety of each individual and the community.

Women in Đồng Văn Town cultivate vegetables to make a living for their family. — Photo courtesy of the MoH

As part of the project, ethnic minorities of Đồng Văn District were given knowledge and provided with practical guidance on pandemic prevention and control.

With the support of local health workers, people have started disease prevention activities, such as wearing masks, washing hands with antiseptic, sanitising their homes and ensuring personal hygiene in work and daily life.

The photo series which was launched last weekend, also showed local people in tourism development associated with preserving and promoting national cultural values. — VNS