Dong Nai Province is racing against time to complete the reorganization of health stations before December 31, 2025.

According to the plan, the health sector will transfer health stations belonging to regional health centers to the management of communes and wards before December 31, 2025.

Currently, the Dong Nai Department of Health has 39 affiliated units, including general hospitals, specialized hospitals, and regional health centers. In addition, Dong Nai has 95 commune/ward health stations under regional health centers; and 176 health station points under commune/ward health stations.

On November 15, 2025, the Ministry of Health issued Circular No. 43/2025/TT-BYT guiding the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of commune, ward, and special zone health stations in provinces and centrally-administered cities. This circular stipulates that commune-level health stations are public health service units directly under the People's Committee of the commune, ward, or special zone.

Director of the Dong Nai Provincial Department of Health, Do Thi Nguyen, reported on the plan to reorganize health stations at the meeting. Photo: Nhat Phuong

Director of the Dong Nai Provincial Department of Health, Do Thi Nguyen, reports on the plan for reorganizing health stations at the meeting. Photo: Nhat Phuong

According to the plan, from January 1, 2026, health stations will operate under a new model and have their own legal status, seal, and will be under the direct management of the People's Committee of the commune or ward. The new health station will have a director, a deputy director, and at least 5 departments/divisions, performing 22 tasks related to: prevention, social welfare, population, food safety, etc.

The scale and area of the health stations and stations will vary to suit the situation in each locality. The Department of Health will continue to support the new health stations in terms of: professional expertise, procedures for registering for health insurance examinations and treatments, and ensuring sufficient supply of medicines and chemicals… to carry out medical examinations and treatments for the people.

Medical examination for residents at the Thong Nhat Commune Health Station. Photo: Bich Nhan

According to Do Thi Nguyen, Director of the Department of Health, during the restructuring of commune health stations, the health sector will review the personnel in the preventive medicine departments at regional health centers and transfer them to commune and ward health stations. Therefore, current station heads and deputy heads who do not meet the qualifications to be directors of the new health stations will be assigned to other positions suitable to their capabilities.

At the meeting, Mr. Dang Thanh Hoang, Deputy Director of the Department of Internal Affairs of Dong Nai province, stated that: After reorganization, the health stations will have an organizational structure with functions and tasks almost identical to a district health center. The plan to reorganize health stations first, followed by district health centers, as proposed by the Department of Health, will face difficulties in arranging management personnel for both the health stations and the new district health centers.

Meanwhile, Truong Vinh Hiep, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Bien Hoa Ward, expressed concern that in the initial period of operation, the health station would not have enough revenue to pay salaries to medical staff. The ward also lacked the funds to cover these expenses, which would affect the station's operations.

Dr. Nguyen Duc Phuoc, Director of the Trang Bom Regional Health Center, shared that immediately after the reorganization, the new health stations will operate as public service units under the People's Committee of the commune or ward. Therefore, they will need accompanying personnel such as a chief accountant to handle the unit's revenue and expenditure, and immediate recruitment is not possible.

Meanwhile, Director of Phuoc Long Regional Health Center Le Thanh Long stated that the new health station is undertaking 22 tasks, which is too many and impossible to accomplish in the initial phase. Therefore, the Department of Health needs to select key tasks to implement, and then expand to more when sufficient personnel are available.

Speaking at the meeting, Vice Chairman of the Dong Nai Provincial People's Committee Le Truong Son emphasized: The restructuring cannot be postponed; it must be implemented in accordance with the Central Government's directives and the unified restructuring plan of the health sector. The deadline for the handover is December 31, 2025, so relevant departments and units need to focus on this roadmap. This is a major restructuring for the health sector with a very tight schedule; therefore, obstacles must be addressed as they arise during implementation.

Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Dong Nai province, Le Truong Son, chaired the working session. Photo: Nhat Phuong

Following the meeting, the Department of Health and the regional health centers need to work together again to finalize the plan and complete the restructuring proposal, including appendices on assets, finances, etc. All items must be detailed and specific for implementation. After receiving feedback from the Provincial Party Standing Committee, the Provincial People's Committee will hold an online meeting with communes and wards to listen to opinions and resolve issues for the units.

Regarding the recruitment of doctors, the provincial leadership requested that the health sector proceed with the process, but emphasized the need to ensure smooth deployment and assignment of personnel later on. In addition, attention should be paid to the recruitment and transfer of accounting staff so that the new stations can operate immediately upon reorganization. The Department of Health needs to clearly report and propose a plan for the location of the new stations...

Bich Nhan

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/tin-moi/202512/dong-nai-chay-nuoc-rut-hoan-thanh-sap-xep-tram-y-te-truoc-31-12-2025-0fa0bf4/