Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính visits heroic Vietnamese Mothers at Nho Quan War Invalids Nursing Centre in the northern province of Ninh Bình on Thursday morning. —VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — The Party, State and people will never forget the sacrifice of martyrs, war invalids, and people who made meritorious services to the revolution.

The work of taking care and improving the material and spiritual life of war invalids and families of martyrs as well as people with meritorious services to the revolution is a daily job, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính said on Thursday morning when he visited Nho Quan War Invalids Nursing Centre in the northern province of Ninh Bình.

The visit was made on the occasion of the 76th anniversary of the country’s War Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27, 1947).

“The Party and State chose July 27 as the country’s War Invalids and Martyrs Day so that the whole country and people can remember, honour and repay those who have made sacrifices for the fatherland and the people,” he said.

On behalf of the Government, Chính sent his deep gratitude and best wishes to heroic Vietnamese mothers and war invalids at the centre, he said.

He also added that taking care of and improving the material and spiritual life of war invalids and families of martyrs as well as people with meritorious services to the revolution is the consistent policy of the Party and State and the traditional morality of the nation.

During the revolutionary cause of the Party and the nation, many soldiers had bravely fought, devoted and sacrificed, others were fortunate to return, but even when the war receded, the consequences and wounds are still there, he said.

"When you were young and healthy, you fought against the enemy, devoted and sacrificed for the fatherland; today, you continue to be optimistic in the fight against the disease and the wounds that the war caused,” he said.

“You are shining examples for the youth to follow," he said.

He praised doctors, nurses and staff at the centre for not being afraid of difficulties and hardships to take care of war invalids and people with meritorious services to the revolution.

Most of the war invalids at the centre are seriously injured and all their daily activities have to depend on the care and help of the doctors, nurses and staff, he added.

Preferential policies expanded

With a mind to the old Vietnamese sayings “When you drink water, think of the source” and “When you eat fruit, remember who planted the tree,” the Party and State have always paid attention to promulgating and effectively implementing many policies towards war invalids, martyrs and people with meritorious services to the revolution over the past 76 years.

The policies are considered to be suitable to the country's conditions and circumstances through each period, he said.

The beneficiaries of preferential policies have been constantly expanding, he said.

On July 21, 2023, the Government issued Decree No 55 amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decree No 75. Under the new decree, the standard level of allowances and preferential allowances for people with meritorious services increased by 26.5 per cent.

Under the new decree, a number of regulations related to the operation of establishments for nurturing people with meritorious services have been supplemented, including support for the renovation and maintenance of facilities that nurtured war invalids and people with meritorious services; supporting medicines, treatment and rehabilitation for war invalids and people with meritorious services.

The material and spiritual life of people with meritorious services and their families have been continuously improved. The movements such as "The whole people take care of the families of war invalids, martyrs and people with meritorious services to the revolution" and "Gratitude Fund” were enthusiastically responded to by all classes of people.

Better care

Chính assigned relevant agencies to more effectively implement policies for people with meritorious services in the future.

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and the relevant agencies had to further promote the care of war invalids and people with meritorious services, he said.

He told the relevant ministries and agencies to improve the facilities and equipment of centres for nurturing people with meritorious services across the country in general and Nho Quan Centre in particular.

In a related move, Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Đào Ngọc Dzung said, on the occasion of the 76th anniversary of the country’s War Invalids and Martyrs Day, President Võ Văn Thưởng has decided to give gifts to nearly 1.4 million people with meritorious services to the revolution with a total budget of more than VNĐ400 billion (US$16.85 million).

The ministry also submitted to the Prime Minister for consideration and approval of the master plan on the network of social facilities for nurturing people with meritorious services to the revolution in the 2021-30 period, a vision towards 2050.

In the period 2012-22, the State budget allocated VNĐ357 trillion ($15 billion) to spend on subsidies like monthly allowance, one-time allowance and other preferential policies for people with meritorious services.

The whole country has mobilised over VNĐ13 trillion ($548 million) to support families of people with meritorious services, construct 84,000 new houses and repair over 69,000 old houses for families of people with meritorious services.

2,988 Vietnamese heroic mothers, who are still alive, have been nurtured by organisations and individuals for life.

After six years of handling the backlog of requests for certification of martyrs, war invalids and policy beneficiaries, the country has basically certificated over 7,000 records. — VNS