Attending the workshop were leaders of companies and grassroots unions of the Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (TKV).
In recent years, mental health has become a hot topic globally, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, when work pressure, prolonged stress and uncertainty have taken a toll on workers' mental health.
In addition, the appearance of Typhoon Yagi in August 2024 also caused much pain, loss and disruption in production and labor.
In particular, in heavy industries such as coal and minerals, workers often face many stressors such as harsh working conditions, large workloads, and time pressure. However, this issue has not received due attention, with most of the focus still on physical health and occupational safety, ignoring psychological factors.
Sharing at the workshop, Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Thanh Nam - Vice Principal of the University of Education, Vietnam National University, Hanoi - said that comprehensive health care for workers in modern society is increasingly urgent, but very few corporations and businesses pay attention and provide care in a systematic and scientific manner.
According to Associate Professor Dr. Tran Thanh Nam, mental health is very important to achieve the ultimate goal of happiness. Therefore, leaders of corporations and businesses must also learn basic skills and become happy leaders in order to spread services and policies related to mental health to employees, turning it into a culture in businesses. This is a motivating factor that helps increase labor productivity and helps employees stay with the business.
Mr. Le Quang Chung - Acting Director of Vietnam Coal and Mineral Hospital, under TKV - said that TKV leaders are very concerned about the health of workers. In recent years, Vietnam Coal and Mineral Hospital has always performed well the function of advising and taking care of workers' health. The hospital has a strategy of coordinating with Merak Company to implement screening examinations, build specialized examination packages for mental work for the entire group's staff, with the aim of improving the health of workers throughout the group, especially in underground mining units.
According to Dr. Nguyen Quang Binh - Head of the Merak Psychiatric Clinic - many surveys show that about 15% of the population has mental health problems in general. In 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) took the theme of Mental Health Day as "Prioritizing Mental Health in the Workplace".
Mr. Le Chi Loc - Chairman of the Trade Union of Viet Bac Mining Industry Corporation, under TKV - said that right after the workshop, the unit will promote mental health to all staff and workers. Along with that, there will be documents provided to workers on this issue; health consultation, provision of medicine and functional foods to support workers in preventing and treating psychological problems during the working process.
Concluding the conference, Mr. Tran Van Hop - Deputy Head of TKV's Human Resources Department - emphasized that this is an issue that TKV is very concerned about; he hoped that, immediately after the conference, delegates would study and consider policies, and at the same time, he requested Merak Company and supporting experts to have training and teaching topics at TKV's member units on the psychological content of workers.
Mr. Hop also suggested that the Vietnam Coal and Mineral Hospital research and disseminate propaganda so that workers can protect themselves; depending on the characteristics of the unit and the consensus of workers, this content can be implemented in possible conditions to better care for workers in the future.
The hospital researches and works with businesses to integrate periodic health check-up programs for employees.
