Expectations for the position of the healthcare industry in the new period

Over the years, the health sector has made many efforts in the journey to protect, care for and improve people's health.

Up to now, the network of medical facilities in our country has developed widely from the central to the grassroots level, gradually meeting the health care needs of people in all regions from the beginning, basic to specialized. The medical staff has also been increasingly strengthened in quantity and quality with nearly 500 thousand people, many of whom are medical experts with professional qualifications on par with the world , performing advanced medical techniques that are not inferior to those of developed countries.

The capacity to provide medical examination and treatment services is constantly improved in terms of quantity, quality, scope and level of specialization of services. The total number of medical examinations and treatments covered by health insurance will increase by an average of 5% annually in the period 2015-2024, reaching a total of 186.2 million in 2024.

The quality of medical examination and treatment services has also been improved. Vietnam has approached and mastered the most advanced techniques in the medical field (multiple organ transplants on one patient, fetal heart intervention, etc.). Many advanced techniques have been transferred from central hospitals to satellite hospitals and local hospitals throughout the country.

With the efforts of the entire health system, Vietnam's health output indicators have improved significantly over the years. The average life expectancy of people in 2024 is 74.7 years old, reaching and exceeding the target set in Resolution 20 of 74.5 years old, higher than the world average (73.3). Vietnam is internationally recognized as a bright spot in implementing the millennium goals in the health sector. The physical health of Vietnamese people has improved significantly, both in terms of height and child malnutrition.

The assessment results on the implementation of universal health care coverage in Vietnam in 2023 reached 68/100 points, higher than the average of the Southeast Asian region (62 points). Vietnam's Human Development Index (HDI) has continuously improved over the years. Since 2019, Vietnam has been ranked in the group of countries with high human development and has maintained it until now.

According to the UNDP Human Development Report 2024, Vietnam's HDI is 0.726, ranking 107/193 countries and territories. Among the three component indices, health achievements are the highest.

It is worth noting that the trend of improving Vietnam's basic health indicators is assessed as quite sustainable, even during the period of being heavily impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The level of access and enjoyment of health services by people has increased. Data reported from hospitals shows that in 2024, the satisfaction rate of outpatients was 96.14%; inpatients was 95.14%. According to the results of an independent survey by the Institute of Strategy and Health Policy, the satisfaction rate increased from 85.3% in 2016 to 85.8% in 2020 and reached 90.5% in 2024.

Currently, Vietnam is entering a new era of development. For the health sector, the question is what role and contribution it will play in that era of development. At a working session with the Ministry of Health on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of Vietnam Doctors' Day (February 27), General Secretary To Lam pointed out that, in addition to the achievements, the health sector is facing many major challenges, requiring strong innovation to ensure the goal of universal health care in the new situation.

These challenges come not only from internal factors of the industry but also from economic, social and technological factors. One of the biggest challenges of the health sector is to carry out the task of taking care of people's health, community health, creating a good quality human resource for society, creating a healthy and happy life for all people. Everyone is cared for in order to achieve the desire to prolong life and have a healthy life, a clean society, without epidemics, without danger.

To address the challenges facing the health sector today and in the coming years, in addition to continuing to effectively implement the Party's resolutions on the health sector, General Secretary To Lam emphasized twelve contents, from renewing thinking about the health sector, improving medical ethics among health workers, to consolidating and improving the quality of the grassroots health system, perfecting health laws, etc.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Phan Le Thu Hang, Deputy Director of the Department of Planning and Finance (Ministry of Health), in order to develop effectively and sustainably in the future, in the context of many intertwined opportunities and challenges, the health system needs to identify, make good use of opportunities and effectively resolve the challenges of the external and internal environment that the health system is facing.

In the new development stage, the health system needs to perform well all three roles at the same time: as a solid pillar of social security and human development; as a shield to ensure health security; and as a special service sector contributing to economic growth. First of all, the health system must be developed in line with the country's overall socio-economic development, with the goal of becoming a developing country with modern industry and high average income by 2030; and becoming a developed country with high income by 2045.

Second, the health system must make a positive and effective contribution to the socio-economic development process. This contribution can be expressed in many aspects such as health care ensuring a healthy workforce, contributing to improving labor productivity in the whole society; health care is an economic sector that attracts a lot of labor, mainly high-quality labor; health care is a service sector with large revenue, with great potential to directly contribute to economic growth...

Third, the health system needs to ensure that the achievements of socio-economic development are spread to the people, so that people can enjoy the achievements of economic growth, which are quality health care services characterized by basic, essential social services that bring direct and easily recognizable benefits.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/ky-vong-vi-the-nganh-y-te-trong-giai-doan-moi-post881428.html