Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính addressing the ceremony. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI – Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính attended the launching ceremony of a national programme named "the whole nation joins hands for the poor in 2022" in Hà Nội on October 17.

Addressing the ceremony, PM Chính noted that since 2021, over VNĐ86 trillion (US$3.53 billion) had been disbursed from central and local budgets to support 56 million people and labourers facing difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and 730,000 employers.

He said Việt Nam has completed the Millennium Development Goal ahead of schedule regarding hunger eradication and poverty reduction.

However, the PM underlined that there is still much to do for Việt Nam to lift nearly 2.4 million poor and near-poor households, or 9 per cent of the country's population, out of poverty.

It was crucial to turning the motto "joining hands for the poor and not leaving anyone behind" into reality with specific and practical actions, he stressed, highlighting the need for the active engagement of the whole community and the coordination and support of all sectors as well as international friends and partners.

The Government leader requested ministries, sectors, and localities to continue effectively enacting poverty reduction policies, especially the three national target programmes, while dealing with rising problems, helping enhance production capacity for the poor and creating more jobs for them.

He called on organisations, individuals and businesses both inside and outside the country to continue accompanying the country to reduce poverty and ensure social welfare.

Statistics showed that since 2020, despite adverse impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, organisations, agencies, businesses, and individuals donated over VNĐ19.31 trillion ($793 million) to the "Fund for the poor" and social welfare activities.

The fund was used to build 102,910 houses for the needy, provide medical check-ups and treatment for over 2.4 million people, aid 593,034 students, assist 663,771 people in developing production, and construct thousands of public works.

Before and during the launching ceremony, the programme received nearly VNĐ1.2 trillion from donors.

Organisations, individuals and businesses can make donations through bank transfers to the central fund for the poor's account number V999 at Vietcombank, or 1000001000171717 at the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies, and Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee's account number 37610905438691046 at the State Treasury in Hoàn Kiếm District, Hà Nội. They can also donate cash directly at the VFF Office at 46 Tràng Thi street, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hà Nội. — VNS