In-depth
Over 1,500 children orphaned due to Covid-19 in HCM City
  • | dtinews.vn, Vietnamnet | September 15, 2021 05:38 PM
Pham Yen Nhi and her three siblings in Ho Chi Minh City's District 12 lost both their parents to Covid-19 in the last summer holiday.



 A student attends an online class in HCM City. Photo for illustration

The tragedy began in early July when their father, Nguyen Phu Hieu, who was working at a Covid-19 checkpoint of Tan Thoi Nhat Ward was infected with Covid-19. He died just 10 days after that. Then their mother tested positive for the virus over a week later and also died after a short time of treatment.


Nhi said that her family left their hometown in Tay Ninh Province some years ago to seek a better life in HCM City. Their parents do odd jobs for a modest income. Nhi completed high school last year and was working as a shop assistant before the latest Covid-19 outbreak occurred, which made both her parents and she herself unemployed.

"The new school year has started for over a week and my three sisters are facing difficulties to attend online classes during the social distancing period because we have only one mobile phone for their study," Nhi said. "I have to send two of them to my uncle's home to study with his computer and laptop."

The eldest sister said that she was uncertain about their future but right after the pandemic was brought under control, she would find a smaller apartment to reduce her rent.

"l’ll try my best to support my sisters and I hope to receive assistance from our relatives and the authorities so that they can continue their study," she said.

Nhi's three sisters were among 1,517 students in HCM City who have lost their mothers, fathers, or both due to Covid-19, according to a new report from the municipal Department of Education and Training.

Of the figure, over 490 are primary school students, 580 are secondary school students and the remainder are students of senior high and vocational schools, the report said.

Some districts of Binh Thanh, Binh Tan, Hoc Mon and 8 see the largest number of the orphaned students.

Latest statistics from the department showed that 10,073 students at local schools have been infected with the virus so far.

According to the HCM City Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, each orphaned child aged below four will receive financial support of VND900,000 (USD39) a month, while orphaned children aged four years old or older will receive VND540,000 per month each.

They are also entitled to reduced tuition fees until 16 and other social incentives until 22.

Covid-19-infected children will receive VND1 million each. They are also entitled to a free quarantine fee and VND80,000 per day to cover their meals during the treatment and quarantine period.

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs earlier decided to give an allowance of VND1 million to each child born between April 27 and December 31 to Covid-19-infected mothers. Those children orphaned by Covid-19 would receive VND2 million each.

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