District authorities should provide timely assistance to poor households

Secretary of Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan proposed that in next time, authorities in districts should proactively understand city dwellers’ living condition to have timely assistance for difficult households besides the anti-epidemic work.
Secretary of Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan (Photo: SGGP)
Secretary of Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan (Photo: SGGP)
Mr. Nhan made the statement at a yesterday online meeting launched by the Ho Chi Minh City steering committee on Covid-19 control and prevention to discuss new isolation plans and further directions for examining and supervising operations of enterprises amid Covid-19 pandemic.
He asked the District 1 People’s Committee to strictly implement their management responsibilitiy in the district as well as seriously punish those who violate the regulations of Covid-19 control and prevention such as not wearing masks in public places or gathering in crowds.
Besides, Mr. Nhan highly valued the HCMC Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee's appealing for social support to assist the disadvantaged.
According to a report of the HCMC Department of Health, as of April 8, the city recorded 54 Covid-19 cases including 35 people entering Vietnam from foreign countries and 19 in the community. Until now, 35 cases have been discharged from the hospital, of which only four recovered cases were announced on April 8.
Six international flights with 19 crew members and three domestic flights with 408 passengers landed in the city plus one train with 463 passengers on April 8. All passengers had to fill out medical reports and undergo test.
So far the city has verified and taken samples of a total of 4,651 people; including 3,735 negative cases, two positive cases (patients No.142 and 171), and 914 cases waiting for results.
Regarding the bar Buddha epicenter, 255 bar-goers have been taken samples for tests. Of 255 bar-goers, 242 were negative and 13 cases confirmed as positive for the deadly virus.
Accordingly, 4,121 people in contact with the above positive patients were quarantined, of which five new cases discovered as positive. Up to now, 3,042 quarantined people have showed no symptoms and will soon be discharged.
However, on April 7, a new patient from Ho Chi Minh City’s Binh Thanh District related to the bar Buddha was announced as infected and 9 people living with him were all sampled.
Another 1,311 people were released from the quarantine areas on April 8 after they finished isolation for 14 days and had negative test results for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Thus, 2,122 people have been still isolated due to epidemiological factors such as returning from epidemic areas, close contact with infected or suspected cases.
A leader of the health department said that the city will reorganize the isolated areas for preparation for new situation. The health sector planned screening and thorough examination at worker dormitories, labor-intensive production facilities, and residential quarters to get ready to cope with upcoming situations.
According to Secretary Nhan, businesses can still operate if they ensure measures to prevent and fight against epidemics. Local districts need to implement a risk assessment of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection at enterprises which plays a significant role to value infection risk at businesses because if there is no guarantee of absolute safety, the operation of these enterprises must be suspended.
Also at the meeting, Standing Vice Chairman of the City People’s Committee Le Thanh Liem asked localities to be proactive in the prevention of epidemic, drastically carry out the five on-spot plan, instantly enhance dissemination of information about disease prevention measures as well as raise awareness of people so that they abide by the Prime Minister’s Directive 16 “Only going out when necessary”.
Vice-Chairman Liem also requested the people’s committees of districts to ensure the availability of protective equipment for 46 epidemic control stations and to regularly report for timely adjustment.
Regarding the SARS-CoV-2 virus infection risk assessment at local enterprises, people’s committees of districts and wards were assigned to monitor and report the situation of units with less than 1,000 employees.
To enterprises having from 1,000 to 3,000 workers, chairpersons of district people’s committee must pay visit to. For establishments with 3,000 or more workers, the Department of Health will coordinate with the Department of Industry and Trade, the HCMC Labor Confederation and related departments to take inspection measures to comply with Decision 1203 as well as direction guide 1249 of the City People’s Committee.

Other news