HÀ NỘI — The Việt Nam Red Cross (VNRC) plans to provide free checkups, treatment, health consultations and medicines to at least 300,000 people, especially the poor, elderly and war invalids.

This is part of a humanitarian programme’s Action Month, which starts from the beginning of July.

The action month is under the framework of a collaboration programme implemented by the Việt Nam Red Cross Society, the Ministry of Defence’s Political Department and the Việt Nam Young Physician Association.

During the month, the programme will focus on providing health checkups, treatment, medicines and consultations on disease, accidents and injury prevention.

“This year, the programme targets at least one million people nationwide with a focus on health checkup and treatment drives, providing free medicine and healthcare consultation. Patients with serious diseases will be sent to hospital for a higher level of treatment,” VNRC vice president Trần Thị Hồng An said at a press conference on Thursday.

“We also organise education and communication programmes on disease prevention, disasters, accidents and injury prevention for the community,” An said.

Started in 2014, the programme has provided free checkups and treatment to more than 4.4 million people nationwide, consultations to 1.9 million and handed over 2.5 million gifts worth a total of more than VNĐ908 billion (US$39.5 million). The programme has attracted more than 235,000 participants, including nearly 53,000 doctors, pharmacists and health workers and nearly 95,000 volunteers. — VNS