National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue: Investing in healthcare is investing in development

On the morning of February 20, in Hanoi, Politburo member and National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue visited and worked with the Ministry of Health on the occasion of the 69th anniversary of Vietnamese Doctors' Day (February 27, 1955 - February 27, 2024).

Also attending were: General To Lam, Politburo member, Minister of Public Security ; Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary General of the National Assembly, Head of the National Assembly Office Bui Van Cuong, leaders of National Assembly Committees, relevant ministries and branches...

After Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan reported on the results of implementing health work and building health sector institutions, representatives of relevant ministries and sectors contributed their opinions focusing on issues such as removing difficulties and shortcomings that the health sector is facing, cultural institutions in health care, solutions to strengthen supervision in public hospital autonomy, effective management of health insurance, review of the legal system related to health, etc.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue speaks at the meeting. Photo: Nhan Sang/VNA

On behalf of the leaders of the Party, State, National Assembly Standing Committee and the Working Delegation, the National Assembly Chairman respectfully sends to all cadres, civil servants, public employees, doctors, staff and workers in the health sector his warmest feelings, best wishes and deepest gratitude on the occasion of the 69th anniversary of Vietnamese Doctors' Day.

Towards universal health coverage and health insurance

The National Assembly Chairman emphasized that throughout the journey of development and growth, the team of cadres, doctors and staff in the health sector have imbibed the teachings of President Ho Chi Minh: "A good doctor must be like a mother", constantly improving their professional qualifications, practicing medical ethics, building the image of a medical staff who is good at their profession, full of love, dedication and responsibility towards patients.

The National Assembly Chairman emphasized two outstanding highlights in 2023 and since the beginning of the term: Together with the whole country, the health sector, with its core role, has successfully controlled and contained the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 has been well controlled and adjusted from group A infectious disease to group B since October 20, 2023. The World Health Organization (WHO) assessed Vietnam as a reference model for many countries in the prevention and control of COVID-19. "This is the greatest success," the National Assembly Chairman stated.

Along with that, the health sector, with many efforts, has tried to overcome difficulties, resolve "bottlenecks" in policies and consequences left by COVID-19; has made important changes in both perfecting policy institutions, state management work and in performing professional tasks, contributing to the overall success of the country. Overcoming difficulties and challenges, the sector is having opportunities, confidence, and steady development.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue congratulated the health sector on the occasion of Vietnam Doctors' Day. Photo: Nhan Sang/VNA

The National Assembly Chairman requested the leaders of the Ministry of Health to fully and fully absorb the opinions expressed, including the opinion of General To Lam, Politburo member, Minister of Public Security, mentioning people's access to the latest advances in world science and medicine; caring for the elderly by improving the quality of geriatrics, "newborns and the elderly" need the highest medical care; promoting digital transformation to have a strategy for training doctors and nurses close to reality...

The health sector fully understands the role and significance of the health sector, President Ho Chi Minh's advice on building a medicine based on scientific, national and mass principles; Resolution No. 20/NQ-TW of the 12th Party Central Committee on strengthening the work of protecting, caring for and improving people's health in the new situation with the general goal of improving both physical and mental health, stature, longevity and quality of life of Vietnamese people in parallel with the work of curing and saving lives.

The National Assembly Chairman reiterated the goal of building a fair, high-quality, and effective health care system, aiming for universal health care and health insurance. Emphasizing that the Party and State always pay special attention to protecting and caring for people's health, demonstrating the superiority of the socialist regime, the National Assembly Chairman stated that the work of caring for people's health is a common task of the entire political system with the core being the health sector. Protecting health is the cause of all people. He said that while promoting autonomy, the State still focuses on investing in the two health and education sectors. Therefore, relevant agencies must thoroughly grasp and clearly understand this viewpoint because the ultimate goal is to protect and care for people's health.

Investing in health is investing in development.

At the meeting, the National Assembly Chairman highly appreciated and commended the Ministry of Health for focusing on advising and preparing for the Government to submit to the National Assembly for consideration and approval of the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment (amended). According to the National Assembly Chairman, with the motto of disease prevention is better than cure, preventive medicine is the key, primary health care is the foundation, the health sector needs to continue to take the lead in coordinating to promote the implementation of laws on health and health-related laws, "absolutely not owing documents"; implementing the program of building new laws, including important law projects; strengthening the capacity of building laws and investment management capacity to meet practical needs.

The leaders of the Ministry of Health studied and received comments to complete the draft National Target Program on cultural revival and development, building Vietnamese people; implementing health strategies, and planning the health network.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue with key officials of the health sector and delegates. Photo: Nhan Sang/VNA

The National Assembly Chairman stated that medicine is a special profession, medical personnel need to be selected, trained, used and treated specially; must meet professional and ethical requirements.

Emphasizing that investment in health care is investment in development, the National Assembly Chairman suggested focusing more on training and building a team of cadres, doctors and staff in the health sector who are politically and professionally strong, exemplary in ethics, constantly innovating their working style towards professionalism "taking the patient as the center", improving medical ethics, spirit and attitude of serving patients wholeheartedly and thoughtfully; gradually integrating the training of medical human resources into international integration, with high quality in expertise and medical ethics.

The health sector focuses on promoting the implementation of the National Strategy for Pharmaceutical Development, with a focus on the pharmaceutical industry and pharmaceutical chemistry industry; effectively implementing the program for developing traditional medicine, combining traditional medicine with modern medicine; combining military medicine with civilian medicine...

Along with that, it is necessary to continue to consolidate and arrange the organizational structure of units towards streamlining, effectiveness and efficiency; promote administrative reform and digital transformation.

On this occasion, the National Assembly Chairman requested the health sector to study and propose appropriate remuneration policies and regimes for health workers in the overall reform of salary policy; have feasible solutions and stable, long-term policies to attract and promote highly qualified and professional human resources; focus on improving the quality of health human resources associated with promoting research, transfer, application of science, technology and innovation.

According to the National Assembly Chairman, medical tourism is also one of the trends of world tourism, accordingly, relevant agencies, including the health sector, need to grasp this trend, build policies and legal frameworks to promote the development of this model.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue assigned the National Assembly Office to synthesize the opinions and proposals of the Ministry of Health and send them to relevant agencies for research, consideration and resolution within their authority, ensuring compliance with legal regulations, on the principle of creating maximum conditions for the sector. For issues within their authority, the National Assembly and the National Assembly Standing Committee will promptly consider and decide.

According to VNA/Tin Tuc Newspaper

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