Health checks to the elderly people (Photo: cimsi.org.vn)

(VOVworld) – The Ministry of Health held a meeting to mark World Health Day on April 7^th. During the event in Hanoi on Friday, the ministry’s director of legislation Tran Duc Long said that Vietnam is nearing the end of the golden population period, with 8.15 million elderly citizens, or 9.4 per cent of the country’s population. Long said that the forecast for 2017 will see the population aging even faster. He emphasized that health care for the elderly is one of the ministry’s top priorities. Long said the ministry will introduce many supportive programs for the elderly. He said: “People’s living standards are improving, and Vietnam is in its golden population period. However at the same time, it is entering the threshold of a rapidly aging population. Therefore, it’s necessary to take suitable measures to ensure sustainable economic development as well as health care.”
The Ministry of Health will also begin a series of projects called “Life without pain” to give health checks to people in rural areas in 9 northern provinces for free.