Circular No. 83/2006/TT-BTC guiding the financial management of the Project "Assisting Victims of Agent Orange in the Western Highlands and Tay Ninh Province from 2006 to 2010"

CIRCULAR

Guidelines for Financial Management of the Project "Assistance to Victims of Agent Orange in Western Highlands and Tay Ninh Province from 2006 to 2010"

the period from 2006 to 2010 for the Tây Nguyên region and Tây Ninh province

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Pursuant to Decision No. 116/QĐ-TTg dated January 20, 2006 of the Prime Minister approving the Project "Assistance to Victims of Agent Orange in Western Highlands and Tay Ninh Province from 2006 to 2010";

After reaching consensus with the Vietnam Red Cross and the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Finance provides guidelines for financial management of the Project as follows:

I. OBJECTS AND SCOPE OF APPLICATION:

These Circulars apply to activities assisting victims affected by Agent Orange under the Project to assist victims of Agent Orange in Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Lam Dong provinces and Tay Ninh province from 2006 to 2010 (hereinafter referred to as the Project).

Victims affected by Agent Orange are those suffering from diseases or deformities and disabilities listed in the Catalogue of Diseases, Deformities, and Disabilities Caused by Chemical Poisons issued together with Joint Circular No. 14/2004/TTLT/BLĐTBXH-BYT-BTC dated November 8, 2004 of the Ministries of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, Health, and Finance.

II. CONTENT, AMOUNT OF EXPENSES, AND SOURCES OF FUNDS:

1. Plastic surgery and rehabilitation:

Plastic surgery and rehabilitation for victims include activities such as examination, classification, treatment, and training processes to restore motor functions and activities for victims.

a. Screening examination:

Victims are screened by the Project to determine the degree of deformity and illness before implementing treatment measures. Expenses for screening examinations include:

- Examination fees, costs for technical services and tests according to the doctor's instructions and current hospital charges.

- Costs for consultations to determine the degree of deformity and illness caused by Agent Orange for surgical and other treatment methods. The maximum cost does not exceed 70,000 VND per person per session.

- Costs for establishing surgical records (including photography and filling out forms for monitoring purposes): 10,000 VND per victim for those who have been prescribed surgery by a doctor.

b. Surgical and plastic surgery expenses include:

- Medication, blood, intravenous fluids, chemicals, technical service costs, test costs, medical consumables according to the doctor's instructions and current hospital charges.

- Surgical allowance: Implemented according to Joint Circular No. 09/2003/TTLT-BYT-BTC-BNV dated September 29, 2003 of the Ministries of Health, Finance, and Civil Service guiding the implementation of Decision No. 155/2003/QĐ-TTg dated July 30, 2003 of the Prime Minister on amending and supplementing certain special allowances for civil servants and employees in the health sector, specifically as follows:

(Classification of surgical sessions is carried out according to current regulations of the Ministry of Health).

- Support for caregivers when there is no family member accompanying during hospitalization for treatment, at a rate of 15,000 VND per day per victim.

- Support for orthopedic devices: Depending on the level of disability, appropriate orthopedic garments, braces, crutches, etc., will be provided.

Based on the above content and expense levels, the Vietnam Red Cross in each province shall enter into contracts with healthcare facilities to perform plastic surgery for victims. In cases where doctors outside the hospital contract are invited, the inviting unit shall bear the costs of food, accommodation, travel, and work allowances for the doctors according to the current state regulations on travel expenses.

c. Rehabilitation:

- For victims undergoing rehabilitation at home:

+ Appropriate rehabilitation equipment (excluding wheelchairs, walkers, and strollers specified in Section 2, Part II of this Circular) will be provided based on individual needs.

+ The person guiding the rehabilitation exercises for the victim will be supported at a rate of 25,000 VND per person per day (maximum not exceeding 20 days).

- For victims undergoing rehabilitation at healthcare facilities as prescribed by doctors: The Vietnam Red Cross in each province is responsible for contracting with these facilities and paying the examination and treatment costs according to current hospital charges set by the state.

d. Post-surgery and post-rehabilitation examination:

Victims who have undergone plastic surgery and rehabilitation will be examined post-treatment to assess their health status and determine further treatment plans.

Expenses for post-treatment examination include: Examination fees, costs for technical services and tests according to the doctor's instructions and current hospital charges.

e. Supporting victims and their families when seeking examination and treatment:

- Travel expenses: According to the price of public transportation tickets used. In cases of self-provided transportation, support will be given based on the actual distance traveled and the price of common transport.

- Food expenses: During treatment at healthcare facilities or rehabilitation centers, the victim and one accompanying family member will be supported for actual days of treatment. The rate for the victim is 20,000 VND per person per day; for the accompanying family member, it is 15,000 VND per person per day.

2. Provision of wheelchairs, walkers, and strollers:

Victims with limb deformities or mobility-limiting illnesses will be provided with one wheelchair (or walker, or stroller) by the Project to aid in movement functions.

3. Living support:

- Victims from households in difficult circumstances will be supported with capital in the form of non-repayable grants for vocational training, livestock development, and increased production to improve the living conditions of the victims and their families.

- The amount of support and form of support (in cash or in kind) will be decided by the Chairman of the Vietnam Red Cross in the province based on consensus with the Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level, ensuring it meets the needs of the victim's family.

- The family of the victim must commit to using the support funds for the intended purpose. If misused, the Chairman of the Vietnam Red Cross in the province has the right to recover the money or goods already provided.

4. Conduct technical training for rehabilitation exercises and improve professional skills for Red Cross Society staff; guide volunteers at all levels and families of beneficiaries on how to care for and conduct rehabilitation exercises:

Depending on specific requirements, the Vietnam Red Cross Society decides to organize training to enhance the professional skills of Red Cross Society staff; provide technical training on caring for and conducting rehabilitation exercises for volunteers and families of victims. The content of the training includes: training materials, instructor training, speaker reports, travel expenses (if any) for officials sent for training, and other necessary expenses for organizing the training. The expenditure level shall be in accordance with current regulations of the State.

For victims invited to attend training classes, expenses for meals, accommodation, and transportation shall be covered. The expenditure level shall be in accordance with current regulations of the State.

5. Expenditure for directing, supervising, inspecting, evaluating, and promoting:

a. Support funding for promotion through mass media, posters, leaflets, etc., to mobilize individuals and organizations both domestically and internationally to support and assist dioxin victims under the Project. The maximum amount of support for promotional activities at the Vietnam Red Cross Society Central Committee shall not exceed 10 million VND per year, and at provincial Red Cross Societies shall not exceed 2 million VND per year.

b. Annually, the Project may use up to a maximum of 12% of the total budget for directing, supervising, inspecting, evaluating, and promoting. The Chairman of the Vietnam Red Cross Society shall base on the content and expenditure levels stipulated by current State regulations to decide on the allocation for units implementing the Project.

6. Sources of funds for implementing the Project:

- Financial support from the central budget allocated in the state budget estimate is 16.3 billion VND for the Vietnam Red Cross Society's Victim Assistance Fund to implement the Project according to Decision No. 116/QĐ-TTg dated January 20, 2006, of the Prime Minister.

- Other lawful sources of support from organizations and individuals both domestically and internationally.

III. WORK ON ESTABLISHING, ALLOCATING, AND SETTLING THE PROJECT BUDGET

1. For provincial Red Cross Societies participating in the Project:

a. Budget preparation: Based on assigned tasks, the implementation situation of the previous year's Project, and the guidance on content and expenditure levels provided in this Circular, provincial Red Cross Societies prepare detailed budget requirements (detailed according to the state budget classification, accompanied by a report explaining the basis for calculation) and submit them to the Vietnam Red Cross Society before June 20 of the preceding year.

b. Allocation and management of funds: Funds for implementing the Project are allocated by the Vietnam Red Cross Society to provincial Red Cross Societies based on responsibility contracts and progress schedules. Purchasing assistive devices such as wheelchairs, walkers, carts, and production development tools shall be carried out in accordance with current State regulations on asset procurement in administrative and public service units.

c. Reporting and settlement: Provincial Red Cross Societies shall report and settle the Project budget with the Vietnam Red Cross Society before March 31 of the following year for the Vietnam Red Cross Society to consolidate and submit to the Ministry of Finance for review in accordance with regulations.

2. For the Vietnam Red Cross Society:

a. Budget preparation: Based on the total state budget support for the Project as decided in Decision No. 116/QĐ-TTg dated January 20, 2006, of the Prime Minister, and the budget estimates submitted by provincial Red Cross Societies, the Vietnam Red Cross Society prepares the Project budget and submits it to the Ministry of Finance for review in accordance with the State Budget Law and guiding documents.

b. Budget allocation: Based on the annual budget approved by authorized authorities, the Vietnam Red Cross Society implements budget allocations for units implementing the Project in accordance with the State Budget Law and current guiding documents; signs responsibility contracts with provincial Red Cross Societies to implement the Project.

c. Reporting and settlement: Annually, based on the settlement reports of provincial Red Cross Societies, the Vietnam Red Cross Society consolidates and prepares reports to submit to the Ministry of Finance for review in accordance with the State Budget Law and current guiding documents.

The Vietnam Red Cross Society and provincial Red Cross Societies shall publicly disclose financial matters related to the establishment, allocation, and settlement of the Project budget in accordance with current laws.

IV. IMPLEMENTATION

1. This Circular shall take effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette.

2. The Vietnam Red Cross Society shall coordinate with the Red Cross Societies of the Central Highlands and Tây Ninh Province to implement the Project according to schedule, ensuring proper use of funds for intended purposes and beneficiaries. The Chairmen of the Red Cross Societies of the provinces, Directors of the Victim Assistance Fund, and the Chairman of the Vietnam Red Cross Society shall bear responsibility within their respective authority if there is improper use of funds.

3. People's Committees of the Central Highlands and Tây Ninh Province shall cooperate with the Vietnam Red Cross Society within their functions and authority to guide provincial Red Cross Societies in implementing the Project. Annually, the Victim Assistance Fund and the Vietnam Red Cross Society shall conduct inspections and evaluations of the Project's implementation and report to the Prime Minister.

Any difficulties encountered during implementation should be promptly reported to the Ministry of Finance for research and appropriate amendments.

DEPUTY MINISTER
DEPUTY MINISTER

(Signed)

Do Hoang Anh Tuan