In recent years, the socio-economic development has increasingly developed, especially in big cities, which are considered as “promised lands” for poor rural people who want to escape and “changing their lives”, looking forward to a new better life.

According to the population census results of the General Statistics Office in April, 2019: The Red River Delta is the country’s largest population concentration with 22.5 million people, accounting for 23.4%. In which, Hanoi is the most populous city (8,053,663 people) and has the second highest proportion of migrants in the whole country, accounting for 61.2% (209.3 thousand people).

 Overall, about 75% of the workforce (including migrants) are currently employed in the informal sector with more than 18 million jobs. They are mainly self-employed, unpaid care workers, workers in industrial parks or informal enterprises, or as factory workers with short-term labor contracts (Oxfam Report 2015). Most often, they have little or no legal protection and no bargaining power to ask for a raise. Therefore, in accessing, participating in, or benefiting from the policies of the Social Security Program (Social Insurance, Health Insurance, Unemployment Insurance, Social Allowance), they are unknown or skip. Only 23% of migrant workers in the informal sector have health insurance and none of them benefit from social insurance.

Facing the current trend of socio-economic transformation, one of the popular and easy-to-earn freelance careers, being chosen by many migrants in HCM, especially after Covid-19 epidemic (the number of unemployment people increased rapidly), is grab drivers of Grab Limited Company.

National target for the period 2012 – 2020: states that “Social security programs are established to ensure that all people have at least a minimum level of income and the opportunity to access basic social services. essential for education, health, housing, clean water, etc. as well as forming a social security system that covers the entire population, contributing to gradually increasing incomes, ensuring a safe, equal and happy life of the people”.  But in fact, many informal workers (self-employed) still have limitations and barriers in accessing and participating in these Social Security Programs and one of those typical subjects. is the workforce of technology drivers in general, and Grab drivers in particular.

Therefore, the initiative “Surveying the current condition and Promoting participation of Grab drivers to improve their access to social security schemes and working conditions” was designed to achieve the target Promoting Grab drivers’ access to social security schemes, identifying the employment relationship, protecting the rights, expanding the coverage of health insurance, social insurance, supporting legality and improving working conditions to the targeted objects: Technology drivers of Grab company in Hanoi, through: i) Increase the participation of Vietnamese General Labor Union (VGCL) in improving the policy and protecting the rights of technology drivers/ migrant workers. At the same time, ii) enhance mobilization of networking acting for migrant workers (M.net), labor research network (LRG) and other non-profit organizations, such as ILO, IOM in commenting on policy modification to targeted groups.

Estimated around 100.000 Grab drivers (of which about 50% are migrant workers from other provinces) in Hanoi will be participated and benefited from this proposal.

After that, Consultancy Center for Health and Community Development (CHD) together with Vietnam General Confederation of Labor (Labor Relations Department) and Grab Company conducted the first series of activities: 1) Survey the status of Grab technology drivers on working conditions and employment in terms of understanding, accessibility and participation in social security service programs; Need/desire to improve working conditions; 2) Conduct in-depth interviews with representatives of a number of ministries, departments, sectors, mass organizations, international organizations, Mnet network, and some labor experts, lawyers – comments on Labor Relations job; Limitations, barriers and policy “gaps” between Grab drivers and Social Security policies and programs.

Although the quarantine is being implemented in accordance with Directive 16 of the Government, in 03 weeks from 12^th to 31^st August 2021. Interviewers from the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor and the CHD Center actively and successfully interviewed 100 Grab technology drivers currently working in Hanoi, as well as having discussions with leading representatives of the Policy and Law Department of the General Confederation, the Institute of Workers and Trade Unions, the Legal Department of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, the Institute for Community Health Development Light – LIGHT, ILO, Oxfam…

The results of this survey, CHD and the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor will present in the Talkshow scheduled at the end of September 2021.

The message of World Malaria Day 2021 is “Reaching the zero malaria target”

Despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, some countries have made impressive progress in their malaria-free journey. In the Mekong sub-region, the commitment and coordination between organizations/projects also bring positive results in the goal of malaria elimination by 2030.

In 2020, Vietnam has 1733 cases of malaria, a decrease of 8713 cases compared to 2016, and only 1 death. Particularly in the Central-highlands region, there are 1175 cases in 2020, a decrease of 1781 cases compared to 2016 but accounting for 67% of cases nationwide. However, malaria remains a major challenge to society because of drug-resistant malaria parasites, chemically resistant mosquitoes, and the risk of outbreaks due to the recovery of vectors in areas where chemistry interventions are stopped.

CHD Center cooperates with SCDI, and Phap Bao Center which in the VietMCI alliance has been implementing the project “Increasing community participation in the elimination of malaria” in Vietnam “, funded by the Global Fund. In this project, Community Malaria Action Team (CMAT) is a core force in the community, becoming an extended right arm of the health facilities in raising community awareness, detecting, referral, and monitoring treatment compliance.

On World Malaria Day 2021, CHD and VietMCI alliance want to send a message expressing their support and determination to act for a malaria-free Vietnam: “We are committed to strengthening our CMAT, who will engage in outreaching to high-risk ethnic population, providing them with knowledge and measures to eliminate malaria in central-highlands provinces and other areas”.

Please see our video to show CHD message on World Malaria Day here:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Rrft2t1hslM

Mr. Nu knew that Mr. Ho A Phang returned to his home after spending a few nights in the field. Mr. Nu came to visit and found out that Phang had a fever. He immediately performs malaria rapid diagnostic test (RDTs) and found that Mr. Phang was infected with P.Falciparum. Then Mr. Nu immediately took this patient to EaDăh commune health center to be tested again and treated by medical staff. At the same time, he also met people who were with Mr. Phang in the village to do a malaria test. During Phang’s treatment of malaria at home, Mr. Nu visited Phang’s household to monitor the patients on medical compliance and checked his health situation, consulted patients on how to prevent malaria. Mr Phang was aware of the seriousness of malaria and knew how to prevent malaria after he recovered from illness. Mr. Nu consulted Mr. Phang on using treated hammocks/treated net when sleeping overnight at the filed, wearing long-sleeved clothes, rub the mosquito repellent. Because of Mr. Nu, Mr. Phang knew how to protect himself in the forest. After taking care of Mr. Phang, Mr. Nu was very happy and shared that: “Every month, I continue to perform with my best in communication, testing suspected people and support malaria patients to eliminate malaria in my village.”

Course: Malaria CSO platform

At the workshop, the results and models building up in the whole country are shared and talked openly. On behalf of Sai Gon bus station, Mr. Ho Qui Vinh presented and shared the achievements and experiences during the process of no-smoke environment enhancement through strengthening rewards and fines and the community participation at two bus stations: Sai Gon bus station and western bus station.

It is the project managed by the center of health consultation and community development in cooperation with department of transport, the public health institute of HCM city and the two bus stations (Sai Gon and Western bus stations).

The project begins in late 2018 and so far it has gained some significant achievements such as the establishment of the Project steering committee of tobacco control, providing training for capacity enhancement of  90 staff including task force teams at the two bus stations, transport police relevant to violation fines. At the same time, many training document and guidelines were published to provide the information, behavior change and guidelines of fines. The results of fixed monitoring, quarterly meeting are the basis to review the program suitable with practical situation.

It is also a good opportunity for center of health consultation and community development to share the pilot model and extend to other bus stations in HC city as well as experience learning from new models in the country.

Time: From 2018 to 2020.

Donor: The Bloomberg Initiative through The Union.