Two ethnic minority girls wear masks while selling flowers to tourists at Tham Ma slope, northern mountain Hà Giang province. (Photo courtesy of the MoH) The photo series is part of a project onstrengthening communication about COVID-19 prevention in the new normal forsmall businesses run by ethnic minorities in the province.
The project is a collaboration between theMinistry of Health, UNDP in Vietnam and the Embassy of Japan in Vietnam with an aim of implementing sustainable development goals towards fairnessand equality in healthcare among ethnic groups in the country. It includes aseries of communication activities that aim to enhance knowledge,understanding and changes in action and habits of people to stopthe COVID-19 pandemic, especially among ethnic minorities.
The project’s activities have approached a largenumber of local officials, health workers, trade unions and small traders infour districts of Meo Vac, Dong Van, Quan Baand Yen Minh,and Ha Giang city.
The project helped local authorities have moreessential resources to conduct disease prevention and control and provide localpeople, especially ethnic traders, with access to healthcare services andknowledge about disease prevention methods.
This will help to reduce the negative effects ofCOVID-19, so that people can continue to develop economically and sustainably,stabilise their lives and overcome difficulties such as farmland shortages,lack of domestic water and harsh natural conditions.
The series of photos was taken in late2020 and early 2021 in four highlands districts: Dong Van, Meo Vac, Yen Minh and Quang Ba, which are the poorest localities and the mostinhabited by Mong ethnic people. The series displaysthe daily work of traders, especially when they have takenpreventive measures for protecting the health and safety of eachindividual and the community.
As part of the project, ethnic minorities of Dong Van district were given knowledge and provided withpractical guidance on pandemic prevention and control.
With the support of local healthworkers, people have started disease prevention activities, such aswearing masks, washing hands with antiseptic, sanitising their homes andensuring personal hygiene in work and daily life.
The photo series also showed local people intourism development associated with preserving and promoting nationalcultural values./.
VNA
