WHO Praises Vietnam's Results in Reducing Child Injuries

On November 30, in Hanoi, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) together with the WHO and the Global Health Policy Advocacy Organization held a workshop to implement Decision No. 1248. /QD-TTg of the Prime Minister approving the Program on Prevention and Control of Child Accidents in 2021-2030.

According to the WHO Vietnam representative, child injuries are a global problem.

Every year, there are about 465,302 children deaths from accidents; every day 1,275 children die around the world.

In addition, tens of millions of children suffer from injuries that require hospital treatment, causing them long-term health, psychological, and even life consequences.

Therefore, over the past decades, reducing child injuries has received a lot of attention and investment with strong political commitments in many countries. This effort has achieved considerable success.

In 2016, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 234/QD-TTg approving the Program on prevention and control of child injuries in 2016-2020.

After 5 years of implementation, the program has achieved notable results: Incidence of child ịnuries decreased from 1,001/100,000 children (in 2016) to 600/100,000 children (in 2020); the rate of child deaths from accidents and injuries decreased from 19.7/100,000 children (in 2016) to 17/100,000 children (in 2020); the number of child drowning deaths decreased by an average of 100 children per year.

In addition, 90% of children wear life jackets when participating in water transport; 90% of primary and secondary school children know road traffic safety regulations, and 50.3% of primary and secondary school children know safety skills in the water environment.

Annie Chu, WHO representative in Vietnam, stated that the National Program on Prevention of Child Accidents 2021-2030 was an important foundation for Vietnam to continue implementing more effective interventions to reduce child injuries in the next decade.

Annie Chu, WHO representative in Vietnam. Photo: VNT

“The World Health Organization has worked closely with the MoLISA and its partners over the years and will continue to accompany it to ensure the successful implementation of the program in the future,” Chu said.

Bloomberg Charity Program Director Kelly Larson said that she had high expectations for Vietnam to become a leading country in the Asia-Pacific region in implementing child drowning prevention programs.

She also appreciated the commitment of the Government of Vietnam in populazing the Child Drowning Prevention Program.

9 groups of solutions to reduce accidents and injuries

“Over the past three years, we have taught more than 14,000 children how to swim safely and provided water safety skill training to more than 30,200. We hope to continue to accompany MoLISA to spread the program nationwide, contributing to ensuring the safety children,” said Doan Thi Thu Huyen, National Director from the Global Health Policy Advocacy Organization in Vietnam.

Doan Thi Thu Huyen, National Director from the Global Health Policy Advocacy Organization in Vietnam. Photo: VNT

Vu Kim Hoa, deputy director of the Children's Department (MoLISA), gave a speech at the event, saying that in order to build a safe environment for children, the Program on prevention and control of child accidents in 2021-2030 had three goals: reducing the rate of accidents leading to child injuries and deaths; communicating on child injuries prevention and control; and training for officials at all levels, related branches and organizations

She added that there were many solutions to implement: strengthening information, publicity, and education: raising social awareness, knowledge and skills on prevention and control of child injuries at all levels; guiding, consulting, and educating children on safety knowledge and skills to protect themselves; boosting the capability of officials working on child injuries prevention; completing policies and laws; and establishing the implementation of laws and policies on prevention and control of child injuries.

It is crucial to build a safe environment for children by: interventions to prevent and reduce the number of child accidents and injuries such as drowning, traffic accidents, falls, burns; finalizing the work of first aid, treatment, rehabilitation, rescue to save, reduce death, disability and health loss for children; strengthening the cooperation and support of international organizations; strengthening the inspection, examination, monitoring and evaluation of the Program.

To promote the effective implementation of the program, Deputy Minister Nguyen Thi Ha suggested that ministries, sectors, mass organizations and organizations join hands to develop practical methods to accomplish the objectives of the program.

Deputy Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha. Photo: VNT

In addition, based on local socio-economic conditions such as budgets plan, resources mobilization for program implementation, localities need to apply realistic and effective intervention models of the program.

Other important notes for localities are to strengthen inter-sectoral coordination and inspection and supervision of the implementation of the Program, and to strictly handle violations that cause child injuries.

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