Primary health care to all people
Ha Noi, June 15 (VNA) -- With a current contingent of medical workers at the grassroots level, Viet Nam basically has adequate conditions to give primary health care services to the people, said Public Health Minister Do Nguyen Phuong.
Minister Phuong said that Viet Nam now has infirmaries in 93.37 percent of the communes and wards nationwide, and medical workers in 74 percent of the villages and hamlets. More than 52 percent of the country's communal medical stations have doctors, he added.
The State has issued many incentive policies to help poor people have access to medical treatment, including free medical check-ups, medical insurance and charitable activities. Meanwhile, the health sector has devised development strategies for each health service in the northern mountainous region, Western Nam Bo, southern central region and the Central Highlands (Tay Nguyen), Mr. Phuong said.
He noted that the State has inversted in upgrading provincial hospitals and preventive medical stations and improving their professional skills in a bid to limit the transfer of patients to central hopitals from local ones.
Minister Phuong stressed the need to improve the quality of medical services in rural areas, saying that upgrading the grassroots health services is always am important task of the health sector.
He added that the sector has coordinated with the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union to send 500 young medical workers to mountainous and remote areas to develop rural medical services.
However, Minister Phuong pointed out weaknesses of the grassroots medical system, including the degradation of medical facilities, under-trained medical workers and a poor pay-scale.
The health sector plans to send doctors to work at 70 percent of all commune by 2010.--Enditem
