Remarkable policies related to drug, HIV/AIDS, prostitution prevention in 2019
VGP – A number of policies relevant to drug, HIV/AIDS and prostitution prevention and control were issued in 2019.
Pilot model for supporting prostitutes launched
The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) issued a Decision stipulating economic and technical framework on launching a pilot model for supporting prostitutes.
The framework is regarded a foundation for planning, estimation and ratification of the annual expenditures for the pilot model for supporting prostitutes for agencies using expenditures from the social assistance system development target program in the 2016-2020 phase.
Accordingly, head of club, peer group or self-help group will receive the maximum sponsor of VND1 million per month. The maximum number of access members is seven ones, who get access to at least 10 prostitutes per month. Each access member will enjoy the maximum payment of VND500,000 per month.
More support for voluntary drug rehabilitation
Drug addicts who voluntarily go for treatment at public rehabilitation centers will be sponsored 95% of expenditures for testing and consulting services, according to Circular No. 124/2018/TT-BTC on management and use of expenditures for supporting voluntary drug addicts.
Accordingly, the pilot program will be launched till 2020 for voluntary drug addicts at 15 non-public rehabilitation centers at 10 cities and provinces including Son La, Thai Nguyen, Hoa Binh, Nghe An, Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City, Dak Lak, Dong Nai, Binh Duong and Can Tho.
The Circular stipulates that the expenditure for setting up records for voluntary drug rehabilitation at households and the community is worth VND30,000 each record.
The support expenditure for staffers working in drug rehabilitation at the community is estimated at VND100,000 per one per day.
Statistical reporting on drug prevention, control defined
In March, the PM issued Decision No. 13/2019/QĐ-TTg amending and supplementing some articles of Decision No. 127/2009/QĐ-TTg promulgati
Accordingly, the criteria for prosecution, trial and enforcement of drug-related crimes are amended and supplemented, including numbers and counts of drug crimes, for age groups, from 14 to under 16, from 16 to under 18, from 18 to under 30 and more than 30 years old, gender (male and female), employment status (employed or unemployed), nationality (Vietnamese, foreigners and stateless).
Later in July, The Minister of Public Security has signed a document on integrating Decision No. 127/2009/QĐ-TTg promulgati
Interagency Working Group in charge of controlling legal activities related to drugs established
The Minister of Public Security signed a Decision on establishing the Interagency Working Group in charge of controlling legal activities related to drugs.
The working group includes 16 members who are representatives from Ministries of Public Security, Industry and Trade, Health, Finance, Agriculture and Rural Development.
The working group is tasked to consult leaders of these ministries and coordinate and exchange information between local ministries, agencies and localities with the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNOCD), inter-governmental organizations and other countries in controlling legal activities related to drug.
It will also collect statistics and report the outcomes of controlling legal activities relevant to drug in Viet Nam.
New administrative procedures in HIV/AIDS prevention and control announced
The Ministry of Health (MoH) promulgated Decision No 4361/QĐ-BYT on the announcement of administrative procedures in HIV/AIDS prevention and control under the ministry’s management as stipulated in Circular No04/2019/TT-BYT dated March 28, 2019.
Specifically, the Central-level administrative procedure: administrative procedures for the Issuance/Re-issuance/
Local-level administrative procedure: administrative procedures for the Issuance/Re-issuance/
The Decision takes effect as of September 23, 2019.
DPM asks for closely controlling exports, imports of addictive substances
The Government Office issued Document No. 10390/VPCP-QHQT sending to the Ministries of Public Security, Finance, Planning and Investment and Health to convey the directions of Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh on improving the effectiveness of the fight against trans-national drug crimes.
Accordingly, the Ministry of Public Security is tasked to join hands with the Ministries of Industry and Trade and Finance to review, inspect and closely control exports and imports of addictive substances into Viet Nam, monitor import license of enterprises and coordinate with relevant agencies to consider measures to control caffeine and other substances which may be used to produce synthetic drug.
The Ministry of Health is assigned to supervise the operation of retail pharmacies.
Teenagers banned to work at drug production factories
Laborers aged from 15 to 18 are banned to work for plants and factories producing alcohol, beer, wine, tobacco and psychoactive and addictive substances, according to the recently amended Labor Code.
The amendment to the Labor Code aims to minimize labor exploitation for underage employees and protect underage employees.
By Thuy Dung