Proposals include dissolving, merging, and reorganizing healthcare facilities, and establishing health stations in communes, wards, and special zones.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health has proposed transforming the model of 38 medical centers, establishing 168 health stations under the People's Committees of wards and communes, and reorganizing inefficient units to streamline the system and improve the quality of service for the people.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health has proposed merging to establish Tu Du Hospital Branch 2 in Can Gio in October 2025, based on taking over inpatient treatment functions from the Can Gio Regional Health Center.

Rearranging, consolidating, and reorganizing healthcare facilities.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health has just submitted a plan to reorganize public health service units in order to streamline the system, avoid overlapping functions, and improve management efficiency and the quality of health services for the people.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, after the merger, the department has 9 specialized departments, 2 sub-departments, and 124 affiliated public health service units.

Following the implementation of the second phase of the restructuring of public service units, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health has merged the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) into the Ho Chi Minh City CDC.

Merge the three Medical Examination Centers into the Ho Chi Minh City Medical Examination Center. Merge the three Forensic Centers into the Ho Chi Minh City Forensic Center.

Simultaneously, 38 district and city health centers were transformed into 38 regional health centers (13 with inpatient beds, 25 without inpatient beds).

Specifically, four medical centers in Nhieu Loc, Cho Lon, Hoa Hung, and Can Gio have switched to a bedless model, with inpatient treatment functions transferred to higher-level hospitals to efficiently utilize resources and reduce overcrowding.

443 commune, ward, and special zone health stations were reorganized into 168 health stations and 296 affiliated health points.

From September 1st, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health will have 118 public service units (a reduction of 6 units), including 32 general hospitals, 28 specialized hospitals, 5 specialized centers - preventive medicine, 38 regional health centers, and 15 social welfare centers.

Establish 168 health stations in wards, communes, and special zones under the People's Committees of wards, communes, and special zones.

From January 1, 2026, 168 commune, ward, and special zone health stations will be established as public service units directly under the People's Committee at the same level, with legal personality, their own seal, and bank account. This model aims to increase proactiveness at the grassroots level and improve the quality of primary healthcare.

In addition, 25 regional health centers without inpatient beds will transfer all personnel and assets to the local health stations and then be dissolved.

Thirteen medical centers with inpatient beds will continue to provide inpatient treatment and may be upgraded to hospitals or hospital branches as appropriate.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health also proposed reforming the financial mechanism to increase the autonomy of grassroots healthcare. This would allow health stations to gradually implement a financially autonomous mechanism, permitting them to collect and utilize revenue from health insurance examinations and treatments, private consultations, and other professional activities.

This mechanism aims to encourage health centers to improve the quality of their services and attract people to seek initial care. If people do not seek out primary healthcare, it means that primary healthcare has not fulfilled its role as a 'gatekeeper,' and the problem of people bypassing lower-level healthcare facilities will be difficult to improve.

Recurrent expenditure budgets will be allocated separately to each health station, ensuring sufficient resources to carry out primary healthcare and disease prevention tasks. Simultaneously, the city will establish and operate a fund to support the development of grassroots healthcare, aiming to mobilize non-budgetary resources for investment.

Currently, Ho Chi Minh City's health sector has 27 out of 60 public hospitals achieving specialized status and 7 hospitals with geriatrics departments, exceeding the minimum requirements. Simultaneously, the Department of Health is developing a plan to create 5 models of nursing homes suitable for different groups of elderly people, aiming to connect healthcare with society and the community.

Restructuring and dissolving inefficient public service units.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health has proposed merging Saigon General Hospital into Gia Dinh People's Hospital from January 1, 2026; and establishing Tu Du Hospital's second facility in Can Gio in October 2025, based on taking over inpatient treatment functions from the Can Gio Regional Health Center.

In addition, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health proposed maintaining the current organizational structure but strengthening comprehensive support for hospitals such as the Central Social Welfare Traditional Medicine Hospital, Pham Huu Chi Lung Hospital, Vung Tau General Hospital, and Ba Ria General Hospital. Ba Ria General Hospital will undergo a comprehensive review before any consolidation measures are implemented.

The Department of Health is directing the development of second facilities for tertiary hospitals, such as: assigning Tu Du Hospital or Hung Vuong Hospital to establish a second facility at Le Loi Hospital; assigning the Oncology Hospital to establish a second facility at Ba Ria Hospital; and assigning Pham Ngoc Thach Hospital and the Mental Health Hospital to establish new facilities in Binh Duong .

Currently, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health is processing the transfer of the Ho Chi Minh City Transport Hospital and will study the option of merging it to become the second facility of the Ho Chi Minh City Rehabilitation and Occupational Disease Treatment Hospital.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health is currently managing 15 units, of which 12 were transferred from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, and 3 units were transferred from Binh Duong, Ba Ria - Vung Tau and Thu Duc City.

It is expected that the Thu Duc City Social Security Center will be dissolved in the first quarter of 2026 due to the expiration of the pilot period and its continued relevance following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The remaining 14 centers will be retained and a comprehensive survey will be conducted in 2026 to develop plans to strengthen and improve the effectiveness of services for vulnerable people.

Following the restructuring, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health is expected to have 91 public service units (a reduction of 27 units), and 168 new health stations will be established under the direct management of the commune-level People's Committees.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health affirms that the restructuring aims to streamline the system while ensuring the quality of medical examination and treatment and the rights of citizens, towards an efficient and sustainable public health system.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/de-xuat-giai-the-sap-nhap-to-chuc-lai-co-so-y-te-thanh-lap-tram-y-te-xa-phuong-dac-khu-399131.html