Deputy Prime Minister Lê Thành Long chairs the meeting of Việt Nam National Committee on the Elderly on October 17 in Hà Nội. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI – The implementation of welfare and social security policies for elderly people has achieved positive results with a number of vibrant activities organised.

That was the message from Deputy Prime Minister Lê Thành Long who is also Chairman of the Việt Nam National Committee on the Elderly.

He was speaking at a meeting on Friday to review the implementation of tasks made by the committee in the first nine months of 2025.

“Over the past nine months, the State Budget has allocated nearly VNĐ6.4 trillion (US$255 million) for social and retirement allowances," Long said.

"These figures demonstrate the growing concern of the Party, the State, and society for older persons.”

The Politburo’s Resolution No. 72-NQ/TW on breakthrough measures to improve public health includes detailed provisions on population and ageing policies.

In addition, the Government has issued Decree No 176 guiding the implementation of the Law on Social Insurance and Decree No 188 on the Law on Health Insurance, along with several major national programmes and strategies such as the National Strategy on the Elderly, the Development Plan for Intergenerational Self-Help Clubs and initiatives on green and digital transformation.

These efforts demonstrate strong institutional implementation of the Party and State’s policies for older persons, said Long.

Deputy Minister of Health Nguyễn Thị Liên Hương told the meeting that caring for older persons had been implemented comprehensively across multiple areas.

“Policies for older people have covered welfare, healthcare, culture, sports, transport, law and spiritual life, improving overall living quality and promoting the role of the elderly,” Hương said.

According to the deputy minister, more than 14.1 million senior citizens hold health insurance cards, 225,000 continue to participate in voluntary social insurance and millions receive social and retirement allowances.

Around 80 per cent have health records and more than 100 hospitals nationwide now have geriatric departments, tens of thousands of hospital beds and medical staff, along with tens of thousands of volunteers.

In terms of spiritual life, the elderly receive discounts on entry tickets to attractions and cinemas and actively participate in cultural and sporting movements.

There are nearly 80,000 cultural clubs with more than three million members and over 9,000 intergenerational self-help clubs with more than 330,000 participants.

However, Việt Nam has entered an ageing population phase - from 9.5 million older people in 2014 to an estimated 16.5 million in 2025 - and is projected to become an ageing society by 2036.

“Population ageing poses major challenges in healthcare, welfare, labour, and community services, while living conditions for some older persons, especially in remote and mountainous areas, remain difficult,” Hương said.

Trương Xuân Cừ, Vice Chairman of the Việt Nam Association of the Elderly, said the work is based on three pillars of protection, care and promotion.

Việt Nam’s population is ageing rapidly, requiring proactive adaptation in the new era.

Regarding care, there are currently about 500 facilities providing services for 12,000 older people, which is still a modest number.

For the promotion pillar, the 'silver economy' - referring to economic activities, products and services developed to meet older persons’ needs - is gaining attention in many countries.

Cừ suggested that the Government should develop a strategy for the 'silver economy' and adopt policies encouraging the development of care facilities for older people.

For the coming period, Deputy PM Long urged a fundamental shift in policy mindset, focusing on both care and empowerment for older persons.

Ministries, sectors and localities should soon issue action plans to implement approved programmes and strategies.

On policy incentives for private investment in elderly care facilities, he requested relevant ministries to conduct studies and incorporate specific quantitative provisions, particularly regarding land and tax policies.

The Ministry of Health has been tasked with reviewing and strengthening the national geriatric hospital network, beginning with an assessment of the current system to be completed by the first quarter of 2026.

Long also directed the Việt Nam Association of the Elderly to coordinate with the Việt Nam Fatherland Front in reviewing and assessing the Party’s directives and resolutions on elderly affairs, and welcomed the plan to host a national conference on the 'silver economy'.

The Ministry of Construction should integrate elderly housing policies into social housing programmes while the Ministry of Science and Technology should work with relevant agencies to support older people in digital transformation and entrepreneurship initiatives. VNS