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| The Government will prioritize an increase in the State budget for health care__Photo: VNA |
Starting in 2026, free health screenings and treatment will be provided for students, workers, and insured individuals, while a nationwide electronic health record system will be implemented for all citizens, according to Government’s action program to implement the Politburo’s Resolution 72-NQ/TW on breakthrough solutions to strengthen public health protection, care, and improvement.
The program’s goal is to institutionalize and fully execute the objectives and solutions outlined in Resolution 72, with specific tasks assigned to ministries, agencies, and localities to develop their own action plans, monitor progress, and ensure the resolution’s effective implementation. It aims to create a healthy Vietnam where all citizens have access to health care services, live long and healthily, and adopt preventative health practices, thus contributing to the country’s development into a prosperous and advanced society in the new era.
To achieve the program’s objectives, the Government called on ministries, central agencies, and localities to focus on making a significant shift in leadership and approach towards public health care, with an emphasis on raising awareness about health protection, care, and prevention.
They were tasked with creating communication campaigns tailored to specific groups, using a variety of methods to promote health awareness.
In all strategic plans and socio-economic development policies, ministries, sectors and localities should integrate and prioritize health protection and care.
The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with relevant bodies, will submit a proposal to designate April 7 annually as "Public Health Day," with completion targeted for the first quarter of 2026.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, alongside other ministries, will improve the use of public spaces for physical activity and promote a nationwide culture of health. This project is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2026.
The Ministry of Education, in coordination with the Ministry of Health, will develop a program to incorporate health education into school curricula, focusing on various educational levels. Implementation is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2026.
The Government also tasked the Ministry of Health with working with the Ministry of Justice and relevant agencies to draft a National Assembly Resolution on policies within its jurisdiction. This is to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2025.
The Ministry of Health, in partnership with the Ministry of Finance and other agencies, will work on legislation concerning population, disease prevention, food safety, medical equipment, traditional medicine, and tobacco control, with completion planned for 2025-2030.
It will also develop a National Assembly resolution on a national program on health and population development for 2026-2035, with finalization expected in 2026, and collaborate with other ministries to introduce a Government decree on vaccination by 2026.
Additionally, the ministry will continue restructuring certain hospitals, transferring some to provincial management while maintaining high-specialization hospitals for technical guidance and emergency responses. This process will be completed between 2025-30.
The Government will also priorities an increase in the State budget for health care.
The Ministry of Finance, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and relevant bodies, will draft a proposal to optimize the management of the Health Insurance Fund and reduce administrative costs, with completion planned for 2027.
The Ministry of Health, working with the Ministry of Finance, will also develop a policy to gradually implement free hospital treatment, prioritizing vulnerable groups, with full implementation expected by 2028.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Health, in coordination with other agencies, will pilot a health insurance program covering disease prevention and early treatment for priority groups, with completion scheduled for 2027.
The Government will also encourage the development of commercial health insurance, exploring diversified offerings to complement national health insurance, and pilot flexible insurance packages to meet public demand.- (VNA/VLLF)
