Staff Demographers Do Not Have Specialized Allowances Commensurate with Their Profession
Currently, improving the quality of staff working on population issues is considered one of the necessary solutions to improve the quality of the population. Policies and incentives for this group need to be given attention and timely implementation.
According to BS Nguyen Thi Thu Hien - Deputy Director of the Population and Family Planning Department of Hoa Binh Province, at present, the organizational model for managing population and development work at localities is not uniform. Some provinces no longer have a Population Department, many districts do not have a population management unit under the Health Center, if there is personnel, it has been reduced and often been redeployed to perform health tasks.
"While the indicators for population work development include many contents, they need to be implemented in collaboration with local government agencies and the entire health sector, while the budget is limited, reduced compared to the past. Moreover, the training and improvement of professional skills, attracting staff have not been given sufficient attention, the preferential policies and benefits, if any, are often focused on the system implementing disease prevention and control or direct medical treatment for patients, without specialized allowance commensurate with their profession"- Mrs. Thu Hien said.
Sharing their thoughts with Lao Dong Newspaper, many demographers across the country expressed their desire to receive a higher specialized allowance of up to 40% compared to the current 30%, to ensure fairness. They are also waiting for a salary reform with the hope of increasing their income.
Minister of Health has proposed arranging the highest allowance for demographers
Earlier, replying to National Assembly deputies on the issue of policies for demographers, at the National Assembly, on November 20, 2023, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan said: "Implementing Conclusion No. 25 of the Party Central Committee, the Government has issued Decree No. 05 of 2023 on the implementation of preferential allowances for staff working in public health. However, in the process of implementation, demographers are not included in the target group of Decree 05."
During that time, the Ministry of Health also received many citizen petitions related to the issue of policies and benefits for demographers.
Regarding this content, the Ministry of Health has directly sent delegations to work at localities to grasp the situation and has also sent Document 5492 dated August 2023 to the People's Committees of provinces to re-examine the implementation of policies and benefits for demographers.
"Because the main task of demographers is to implement population policies according to the Population Ordinance, however, in recent times, when implementing policies and benefits at localities, many places have assigned demographers to perform other health tasks but have not been entitled to the preferential allowances as prescribed"- Minister Dao Hong Lan said.
"The Ministry of Health has sent a document to the People's Committees of provinces to re-examine how to ensure the correct position and job, correct title, if in the case of having to perform other health tasks, ensure the allowance for this team"- Minister Dao Hong Lan said.
In addition, Minister Dao Hong Lan also proposed that in the near future, when implementing the policy of salary reform, the relevant agencies and departments should pay attention to the policies and benefits for staff working in grassroots health, health prevention, including demographers. Ensure the highest allowance as prescribed to ensure that the health team has the conditions to work.
