Trade unions at all levels in Vietnam have provided members with nearly VND6 trillion (US$261 million) worth of support during the COVID-19 pandemic, chairman of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor Nguyen Dinh Khang said at the 18th World Trade Union Congress in Rome, Italy on Saturday.

The 18th World Trade Union Congress, held by the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), saw the attendance of 500 delegates and representatives of trade unions in 133 countries and territories around the world.

During the gathering, the delegates discussed the achieved results, difficulties, and challenges in the operation of the WFTU, while suggesting new plans and activities for the coming time.

The COVID-19 pandemic has directly affected the health, job, and income of workers, exacerbating the difficulties and challenges that trade unions and their members were facing, chairman Khang said at the event.

To minimize the negative impact, trade unions at all levels in Vietnam have provided support packages for workers who died of, were infected with, were quarantined due to, or lost their jobs to COVID-19, the official continued.

The unions also helped improve the health of frontline medical forces and made donations to children of workers who were orphaned by COVID-19.

More than three million union members in the Southeast Asian country received nearly VND6 trillion ($261 million) worth of support during the pandemic, Khang elaborated.

The Vietnam General Confederation of Labor also proposed that the government issue a policy that prioritizes vaccination for workers and provide them with social insurance, health insurance, and unemployment insurance.

Khang extended his gratitude to the international community for their help with vaccines, which were significant for Vietnam to control and prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The country has been able to minimize damage and losses caused by the pandemic, ensure the people's social welfare, and gradually restore production and socio-economic activities, he added.

Vietnam has documented 10,673,915 COVID-19 cases and 43,055 pathogen-related deaths since the pandemic first hit the country in early 2020.

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