Facing severe impacts from the Covid-19 pandemic, Hanoi has carried out unprecedented measures to ensure the realization of development objectives and keep social welfare intact.

Hanoi from above. Photo: Viet Dung

At the height of the outbreak, the Hanoi Party Committee issued 10 action programs to ensure the realization of the city’s vision for development in the 2021-2025 period.

Vice Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Nguyen Thi Tuyen noted all of these programs are aimed at addressing both short- and long-term issues of the city.

According to Tuyen, program No.03 on “Urban economic development and renovation in the 2021-205 period” is expected to foster the city’s comprehensive development or program No.08 titled “Expanding social welfare and living standards of the people in 2021 – 2025” would realize one of the city’s priorities in putting the people at the center of any decision-making process.

Tuyen noted one year since the launch, the entire political system has been working to put these programs into practice.

In line with socio-economic development efforts, Hanoi also gives priority to the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Chu Xuan Dung said the city is speeding up the vaccination roll-out to all eligible groups. To date, the coverage of the third booster for people 18 years of age and above has reached 98.2% and that of the fourth dose 66.9%.

For children from 5 to 12 years old, the administration rate of the first dose was 64.3%, the second dose  31.3%; and the vaccination coverage  for those from 12 -17 years old stood at over 99% for the first and second doses.

Promoting rapid and sustainable development

As of the end of March 2022, Hanoi has fully contained the Covid-19 pandemic,   creating the foundation for economic recovery.

Hanoi’s GRDP growth during the first six months of 2022 reached 7.79% year-on-year, a 1.29-fold increase compared to the same period of last year and 1.08 times higher than in the pre-Covid-19 period in 2019.

As Hanoi is aiming to become a green, modern and smart city, the Steering Committee of No.03 has been pushing to accelerate several key projects, including the Yen Xa wastewater treatment plant and the renovation of old buildings.

At present, Hanoi has been able to provide clean water for 100% of the people in urban areas and 80% in rural areas.

Director of the Hanoi’s Department of Construction Vo Nguyen Phong pointed out major progress in the implementation of Program No.03, especially in completing a roadmap to turn five rural districts of Hoai Duc, Dong Anh, Thanh Tri, Gia Lam, and Dan Phuong into urban ones by 2025; renovating and repairing old buildings in the city, especially those in the D category, the most dangerous in a four-scale classification with decaying conditions and inadequate utilities.

Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Council Nguyen Ngoc Tuan, head of the Steering Committee for Program No.03, stressed the city’s commitments to ensure the successful realization of the program.

Tuan also noted the importance of promoting public participation during the process to ensure transparency and effectiveness.

Along with efforts to contain the pandemic and push for socio-economic recovery, Hanoi has also given priority to  administrative reforms, especially through the improvement of the city’s performance in PCI and PAR indexes; utilizing a national database of citizens for the policy-making process, and the development of digital government; push for decentralization in the state apparatus to delegate more authorities to grassroots agencies and ensure convenience for the people.

In 2021, Hanoi’s Public administrative reform index (Par Index) was 88.54 points and ranked 10th out of 63 provinces and cities, with improvements seen in the quality of state governance; administrative reform; public finance reform and modernization; and evaluation of the impacts of administrative reform to the people, organization and socio-economic development.

The Satisfaction Index of Public Administration Services (SIPAS) of Hanoi in 2021 was 80%, marking the fourth consecutive year that the city continued to hold the top-tier ranking.