Decision 659/QD-TTg in 2020 on approving the Program on care and improvement of workers' health and prevention of occupational diseases in the period of 2020-2030 promulgated by the Prime Minister

DECISION

ON APPROVAL FOR PROGRAM OF EMPLOYEE HEALTH PROMOTION AND OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE PREVENTION FOR THE PERIOD OF 2020 - 2030

THE PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Law on Government Organization dated June 19, 2015;

Pursuant to the Labor Code dated November 20, 2019;

Pursuant to the Law on Occupational Safety and Sanitation dated June 25, 2015;

Pursuant to Directive No. 29-CT/TW dated September 18, 2013 of the Party Central Committee on promoting occupational safety and sanitation in the period of industrialization, modernization and international integration;

Pursuant to the Government's Resolution No. 139/NQ-CP dated December 31, 2017 on the implementation of Resolution No. 20-NQ/TW dated October 25, 2017 of the Party Central Committee on strengthening protection, care and promotion of the people's health in the new context;

At the request of the Minister of Health,

HEREBY DECIDES:

Article 1. Approve the Program of employee health promotion and occupational disease prevention for the period of 2020-2030 (hereinafter referred to as Program) with the following contents:

I. GUIDING VIEWPOINTS

1. Protection, care and promotion of workers' health is an investment in the national development; is the obligation and responsibility of each employee, employer, of the political system and the entire society, requiring active participation of all levels of Party executive committees, authorities, the Fatherland Front and unions, sectors, in which the health branch plays the key role.

2. The State plays the role of managing, formulating and improving policies; creating a favorable environment; mobilizing and effectively using resources, encouraging public-private partnerships and private investment.

3. The employer has the responsibility to fully implement the regulations on labor safety and hygiene according to law.

4. It is aimed at providing protection, care, and promotion of employee’s health on a regular, continuous and comprehensive manner, especially female workers, elderly workers, workers without employment contracts in agriculture, forestry, fishery, trade villages, etc.; combined with primary health care and management at the grassroots level.

5. Comprehensive investment is made in prevention and treatment according to the motto of actively preventing diseases in the workplace by controlling, eliminating harmful factors in the working environment, changing perceptions and behavior of employees and employers in health protection and promotion, developing and maintaining living habits, healthy nutrition, and clean hygiene; early detecting and promptly treating occupational diseases and related diseases.

II. OBJECTIVES OF PROGRAM

1. General objective: Protect, care for and promote employee’s health, encourage healthy lifestyles and nutrition in the workplace, and help employees prevent diseases in general and occupational diseases, ensure the quality of human resources, contributing to the sustainable development of the country.

2. Specific objectives

a) The local governments shall complete the development of the database on monitoring of the working environment and occupational diseases by 2025 and connect it to the national data system by 2030.

b) Management of the workplaces with harmful factors causing occupational diseases: manage 50% of these workplaces by 2025 and 80% of these workplaces by 2030.

c) Inspection of the working environment monitoring: inspecting 30% of workplaces having harmful factors causing occupational diseases by 2025 and 50% of these workplaces by 2030; 100% of workplaces using asbestos must have working environment monitored in accordance with regulations by 2025.

d) By 2025: Integrate healthcare services for employees without employment contracts into primary health care at grassroots health facilities (according to the Scheme on building and developing grassroots healthcare facilities in new context).  100% of workplaces are consulted about non-communicable diseases, taking measures to prevent and improve health, nutrition, hygiene, suitable with working conditions, and increasing mobility at workplace.

dd) Health management of workers at workplaces at risk of occupational diseases (including workers exposed to asbestos): 50% of workers at workplaces who are at risk of occupational diseases have access to information on harmful factors, preventive measures and early detection of occupational diseases by 2025, and this rate is 100% by 2030.

e) By 2025: 100% of employees exposed to asbestos will receive health management and occupational disease examination; 100% of workplaces using asbestos have working environment monitored according to regulations.

g) 100% of people suffering from occupational accidents and diseases may receive first aid at the workplace, and may receive medical examination, treatment and functional rehabilitation thereafter.

h) By 2030: 100% of workers in industrial zones and export processing zones will be consulted and provided with reproductive health care, HIV/AIDS prevention and breastfeeding (female workers).

i) By 2025, reduce by 15% of the cases of collective food poisoning in workplaces and by 2030, reduce by 25% as compared with the period 2010-2018.

III. SCOPE, REGULATED ENTITIES AND TIME FOR PERFORMANCE

1. Scope and regulated entities: The Program shall be initiated nationwide, including workplaces, employers and employees; priority is given to small and medium workplaces, agricultural sectors, trade villages, female workers, elderly workers and workers without employment contracts and health facilities.

2. Time for performance: From 2020 to 2030.

IV. SOLUTIONS AND KEY TASKS

1. Strengthen the leadership, direction and inter-agency coordination

a) Strengthen the leadership, direction and coordination of all levels and sectors from central to local levels, between relevant agencies, political and social organizations, professional associations, enterprises and non-governmental organizations in the realization of the Program's objectives.

b) Mobilize the involvement of the entire political system, ministries, central authorities, local governments, agencies, business communities, social organizations, and communities to realize the objectives of the Chapter.

2. Improve the system of legal policies

a) Review, adjust, supplement and improve the legal system, mechanisms and policies on occupational health and occupational hygiene.

b) Review, amend regulations on specialized fields, inspect and supervise the implementation of legal provisions on occupational hygiene and health care for employees' occupational disease prevention, treatment, and functional rehabilitation.

3. Strengthen the system of health services and computerization

a) Invest and upgrade equipment, facilities and human resources for the system of calibration and reference which ensures the quality of working environment monitoring, health monitoring, screening, early detection and diagnosis of occupational diseases; first aid at workplace; treatment, assessment and functional rehabilitation for occupational diseases and occupational accidents.

b) Improve professional instructions; national technical standards and regulations on occupational hygiene, occupational exposure limits, examination, diagnosis, treatment and functional rehabilitation of occupational accidents and diseases.

c) Strengthen the training to improve the managerial and professional capacity of the staff in accordance with the requirements of the Program for each objective of the Program; give priority to retraining for grassroots health workers, health workers at the workplaces in health care services for employees.

d) Initiate computerization of activities related to management of employees' health promotion; synchronize and connect the information system from the workplaces to the district, provincial and central levels.

dd) Reinforce the grassroots health facilities to provide healthcare services for workers, control harmful factors at the workplace.

e) Develop instructions for healthcare services for workers, management of harmful factors, and personal health records; improve the health of workers at the grassroots level for small and medium enterprises, trade villages, and for workers without employment contracts.

g) Implement and multiply models for effective prevention of infectious and non-communicable diseases (cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchial asthma, etc.) at the workplace.  h) Effectively prevent occupational diseases in certain sectors and industries (occupational infections in the health sector, agriculture; occupational deafness in mechanical engineering and machine manufacturing; asbestosis in the construction industry) construction; occupational chemical poisoning in footwear, chemicals, electronic parts; pneumoconiosis in mining, mechanics, metallurgy, etc.); minimize exposure to harmful factors in at-risk workplaces.

i) Assess factors of occupational hygiene and occupational diseases arising in new working conditions; inspect and manage information on workplaces using asbestos, monitor and observe the working environment, make health monitoring records, do periodic health check-ups and do annual occupational disease examinations according to regulations; update national records of asbestos-related diseases at cancer registries nationwide.

k) Review and develop guidelines for: (i) female worker's health in industrial zones and export processing zones; (ii) after-hours medical care for employees and payment of occupational disease benefits to employees; (iii) the occupational health system at all levels including manufacturing and business establishments; (iv) use funds for prevention of occupational diseases from the insurance fund for occupational accidents and diseases; (v) health care for workers without employment contracts or for elderly workers.

l) Improve the capacity of first-aid at the workplace, response to treatment and rehabilitation for occupational diseases and occupational accidents.

4. Communication and social advocacy

a) Establish a communication system and strengthen the health education and communication network from the central to local levels.

b) Raise awareness of all levels, sectors, unions and the people about guidelines, policies and laws on employees' health promotion.

c) Using varied and effective communication channels and means to increase effective access to regulated entities in employees' health promotion.

5. As for resources

a) Efficiently use funding sources, including: the state budget allocated in the expenditure estimates of branches, local governments and units according to the provisions of the State Budget Law; ODA, aid from non-governmental organizations and other lawful sources.

b) Ensure regular expenditure budget for communication, training, research, occupational disease prevention, and data collection, and progress reports on the realization of objectives.

c) Coordinate and combine the Program's resources with existing resources (Health Insurance Fund, Insurance Fund for Occupational Accidents and Diseases, etc.) and private sector involvement sources.

6. Research, monitoring and supervision

a) Promote scientific research, especially in-depth studies; mobilize the wide involvement of the community of scientists, other agencies and organizations.

b) Establish a national surveillance system for management of information on employees' health, occupational accidents and diseases, treatment and rehabilitation; strengthen the application of information technology in directing, administering, monitoring and reporting on occupational health and occupational diseases at all levels.

7. International cooperation

Strengthen international cooperation, mobilize financial, technical support and experience in implementing health care programs for employees, prevention of occupational diseases of international organizations and governments. and foreign non-governmental organizations.

V. ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS OF THE PROGRAM:  Issued in the Appendix to this Decision.

VI. IMPLEMENTATION

1. The Ministry of Health

a) Take charge and cooperate with relevant ministries and central authorities, the People’s Committees of provinces and other agencies in formulating master plan and annual plan and providing guidelines for formulation of projects or activities and implementation of the Program nationwide.

b) Send annual or irregular reports to the Prime Minister and competent authorities on implementation of the Program.

2. The Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs

a) Guide enterprises to implement the Labor Code, the Law on Occupational Safety and Health, guiding documents and relevant contents of the Program.

b) Take charge and cooperate in implementing projects assigned in the Program.

3. The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Planning and Investment shall balance and allocate sufficient funds for the Program implementation according to law provisions.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall mobilize domestic and foreign financial sources for the implementation of the Program.

4. Ministries, ministerial-level agencies and governmental agencies shall take charge and cooperate with the Health Ministry and concerned ministries and central authorities in organizing the implementation of the Program within their assigned functions and tasks.

5. The People’s Committees of provinces

a) Develop and implement an action plan on the basis of the Program's orientation contents and specific conditions and circumstances of each province.

b) Ensure the allocation of funds and mobilization of resources for the implementation of the Program's tasks.

c) Report the implementation results to the Ministry of Health.

6. Propose Central Committee of Vietnam Fatherland Front, Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Central Vietnam Farmers Association, Vietnam Cooperative Union, Vietnam Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, Vietnam Association of Occupational Health, Vietnam Association of Science of Occupational Safety and Health and other member organizations of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, social organizations within the scope of their functions and duties, to initiate the Program, promote communication, education, awareness raising, monitoring, supervision and inspection of employee’s health promotion and occupational disease prevention.

7. Employers.

a) Comply with the provisions of law and the contents of the Program's Objectives;

b) Coordinate with ministries, central authorities and specialized units in implementing relevant projects;

c) Report the implementation of the Program to regulatory agencies in accordance with the law.

Article 2. This Decision comes into force as of the date of signing.

Article 3. Minister of Health, Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of Governmental agencies, Presidents of People's Committees of provinces, and relevant entities shall implement this Decision./.

LIST

OF PRIORITIZED PROJECTS FOR PROGRAM OF EMPLOYEE’S HEALTH PROMOTION AND OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE PREVENTION FOR THE PERIOD OF 2020 – 2030
(Issued together with Decision No. 659/QD-TTg dated May 20, 2020)

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