Vietnam kicks off project to develop grass-root health facilities

August 27, 2020 | 23:19

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The Ministry of Health on August 25 held a webinar to kick off a project to invest in the development of grass-root health facilities to meet growing demands among the locals.

vietnam kicks off project to develop grass root health facilities

Acting Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long chaired the webinar

The event had the participation of Stefanie Stallmeister, acting country director for the World Bank in Vietnam; representatives from relevant ministries and authorities of 13 cities and provinces where the project will be carried out, namely Hau Giang, Bac Lieu, Tra Vinh, Long An, Ha Giang, Bac Kan, Son La, Yen Bai, Hoa Binh, Quang Binh, Quang Ngai, Quang Tri, and Ninh Thuan.

Acting Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long said, “Grass-root healthcare is the foundation and a springboard for the healthcare sector. They provide faster healthcare services for the locals than others. Over the past years, their service quality has been improved by a great deal.”

The project with a total capital of $126.25 million include $80 million in loans from the World Bank. It will be implemented in 2020-2025.

13 cities and provinces joined the webinar

With the aim of increasing service quality and frequency of use of healthcare services at grass-root healthcare facilities in the 13 cities and provinces, the project will help improve preventive services and primary healthcare, thus contributing to increase longevity, and living standards of the locals.

Specifically, the project will invest in infrastructure development, including new construction of 138 communal healthcare facilities, upgrade 325 others, as well as upgrade 12 district healthcare facilities in 13 cities and provinces; supply essential medical equipment; provide training of medical staffs, renovate their operations; and support them in building and application of new policies and innovations to increase quality and connections with others.

The MoH is also promoting telemedicine to enhance connection among healthcare facilities in provinces, districts, and communes.

Despite the recent attention to grass-root healthcare, their performance is yet to meet expectations. According to the MoH, Vietnam now has over 11,000 grass-root healthcare stations, nearly 50 per cent of which need to be upgraded. Many lack equipment and essential medicines.

With the project, their operation, financial mechanism, payment, and other will be comprehensively changed, thus improving their role and prestige, thus contributing to increasing quality healthcare services for people.