ADB Project: “Strategic arrow” helps commune health stations make comprehensive breakthroughs

Through the implementation process of the Investment Program for Developing the Primary Health Network in Difficult Areas, it can be seen that although the implementation period is not too long, the project components have had practical and effective results for primary health care, contributing to upgrading facilities, perfecting equipment and gradually improving the capacity of health care human resources at the commune level.

Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen emphasized this at the Conference to summarize the program of Investment in developing the grassroots health network in disadvantaged areas, organized by the Management Board of the Program of Investment in developing the grassroots health network in disadvantaged areas (Ministry of Health) in coordination with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) from September 15-17 in Dong Nai.

Medical stations in 15 provinces receive additional resources

Associate Professor Phan Le Thu Hang - Deputy Director of the Department of Financial Planning (Ministry of Health), Director of the Program said that the Program "Investment in developing the grassroots health network in difficult areas" using ADB capital will be implemented from 2019 to 2025, with important core interventions such as investing in upgrading facilities, providing essential medical equipment, training to improve the quality of health human resources, supporting the innovation of health service delivery models and financial mechanisms for grassroots health... in 16 provinces facing many socio-economic difficulties (now 15 provinces). The program is very important for the health sector in gradually improving the capacity of the grassroots health network in the new situation.

The Program is characterized by its large capital scale (total capital is 110.6 million USD, including 88.6 million USD in loans, 12 million USD in non-refundable aid and 10 million USD in counterpart capital), is implemented in a large area (16 provinces in all 3 regions of the North, Central and South) and has a relatively different management mechanism compared to other Programs and projects of the health sector. This is a health Program that gives localities maximum initiative, accordingly, the provinces participating in the Program are the investors of the Loan Component. In addition, the Program has a disbursement mechanism according to the method of harmonizing the state budget within the framework of the National Target Program on New Rural Construction.

Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen speaks at the Conference. (Photo: TG/Vietnam+)

Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen emphasized that grassroots health care is the foundation of the national health system, and needs comprehensive investment in facilities, equipment and human resources. Recently, the Politburo issued Resolution No. 72-NQ/TW on a number of breakthrough solutions to strengthen the protection, care and improvement of people's health. The Resolution proposed many breakthrough solutions, emphasizing comprehensive investment in the grassroots health care system; reorganizing the health care system according to the 2-level local government model; building electronic health records for each person according to their life cycle, from birth to death; organizing free annual health check-ups, moving towards free hospital fees for all people. This is an important step to bring quality health care services closer to the people, reducing the burden on upper-level health care.

Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen said that after implementing the 2-level local government model, local health care will still have provincial and commune health care, no longer district health care, district health centers will be regional health centers under the Department of Health. The goal by 2030 is to comprehensively invest in grassroots health care in terms of facilities and equipment with solutions to build commune-level health care into a comprehensive public service unit. The Ministry of Health is being assigned the task of advising the National Assembly to promulgate a series of legal policies.

The Deputy Minister of Health also emphasized that the results for grassroots health care in the provinces participating in the project will be effectively linked when combined with the implementation of solutions of Resolution No. 72 on grassroots health care.

Quickly overcome procedural problems

Mr. Le Truong Son - Vice Chairman of Dong Nai Provincial People's Committee said that after the merger, Dong Nai province will operate a 2-level local government model, with the 9th largest area, the 5th largest population in the country, with 4.5 million people, the 4th largest economy, and nearly 260km of border with Cambodia, with 50 ethnic groups living there.

Recently, the province has received attention from the Ministry of Health and ADB Bank with this project to invest in building 20 new medical stations, repairing 25 medical stations and medical equipment to ensure the stations operate, contributing to improving the quality of medical examination and treatment at the grassroots level, implementing better state management of health. However, to meet the task of taking care of people's health, regional medical centers and commune and ward medical stations currently have many difficulties that need to be overcome, especially the human resources of doctors and nurses at the grassroots level. The conference was held after Resolution 72 was issued, so discussions from experts in 15 provinces attending the conference will help to improve the grassroots medical network and better health care for the people.

Mr. Ngo Quang Vinh - Program Manager, Social Sector Officer of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) assessed that the Program has been completed and achieved many remarkable results. The Program has completed more than 90% of its set goals, in which many provinces have completed them well and quickly such as: Binh Phuoc, Dong Nai, Soc Trang, Tuyen Quang... These are the provinces that have completed the procedures and implemented them within 1 year and have put many new health stations into operation for people to use the services.

“The new medical stations that have come into operation meet the medical examination and treatment needs of people in many places, and people are very excited. In many communes, the number of people coming to the medical stations for medical examination and treatment has doubled. These are signs that the change in the medical station model is consistent with the policy of Resolution 72, contributing to improving medical examination and treatment at the grassroots level at the commune level,” Mr. Vinh emphasized.

Mr. Ngo Quang Vinh also emphasized the need to overcome existing problems such as provinces that are rushing to complete projects need to urgently request permission to adjust investments and increase counterpart capital for the provinces.

Associate Professor Phan Le Thu Hang - Deputy Director of the Department of Financial Planning (Ministry of Health), Program Director. (Photo: PV/Vietnam+)

Associate Professor Phan Le Thu Hang analyzed that after more than 3 years of not being able to implement activities due to problems beyond the Program's control regarding legal/administrative procedures, the Program will only be actually implemented in the last 2 years of 2024-2025.

Up to now, after "untangling" policy-related issues, the Program, although its actual implementation time is very short, less than 2 years, has achieved remarkable results. The Program has completed and handed over 166/273 newly built health stations (achieving 57% of the initial target and 61% of the adjusted target); 211/277 repaired and upgraded health stations (achieving 81% of the initial target and 76% of the adjusted target); handed over equipment to 354/564 health stations (achieving 52% of the initial target and 63% of the adjusted target). It is expected that in the remaining 3 months of 2025, the Program will continue to strive to complete and hand over the projects in progress, estimated to reach 91% of the target.

Regarding disbursement, the Program has disbursed VND 1,460 billion in ODA loans, reaching 72% of the assigned capital plan and 71% of the total ODA loan investment. The counterpart capital arranged by the localities has also disbursed nearly VND 169 billion. 100% of the provinces have committed to arranging enough counterpart capital to complete the Program as committed to the sponsor./.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/du-an-adb-mui-ten-chien-luoc-tiep-suc-tram-y-te-xa-but-pha-toan-dien-post1061994.vnp