Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh asked ministries, agencies and localities to step up their coordination with the Ministry of Health to deal with urgent issues in the medical sector while addressing a national teleconference on August 21.
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| Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the conference__Photo: VNA |
The Government leader listed such issues that need to be addressed first as procurement, bidding, investment, medical services under health insurance and policies towards health workers.
Lauding achievements recorded by the health sector, the PM stressed that health and life of people should be prioritized first and that it is a need to develop both public and private health services.
Chinh urged efforts to concertedly and effectively roll out COVID-19 prevention and control programs, reiterating the pillars in the combat - testing, quarantine, treatment, vaccine, treatment drugs, technologies, public awareness and other measures.
Requesting a review and perfection of medical institutions and policies for both short and long terms, the PM said resources should be prioritized for the work.
He asked ministries and agencies to pay more attention to policies towards health workers, as well as grassroots-level and preventive health care, and scientific-technological application in the sector.
The entire sector needs to take drastic measures to handle the current shortage of medicines and medical equipment, he said, asking the Ministry of Health to coordinate with other ministries and agencies to create transparent, feasible drug and medical equipment bidding mechanisms.
The leader ordered a strong revamp of medical financing and insurance, speeding up public investment disbursement, and a review of public-private partnership in the sector.
Acting Health Minister Dao Hong Lan reported at the meeting that the national health coverage increased from 81.7 percent in 2016 to 91.01 percent last year, surpassing the target of 80 percent set by the National Assembly in 2020.
Notably, Vietnam is among the countries with the highest COVID-19 vaccine coverage.
On August 19, an additional 696,048 doses of vaccines were administered, raising the total number to 254,094,673.- (VNA/VLLF)
