 |
| Nurses at Thong Nhat General Hospital use electronic medical records. Photo: Hanh Dung |
The health sector in Dong Nai is continuing to implement a comprehensive range of solutions to restructure and upgrade the entire healthcare system.
Strengthening primary healthcare
According to Do Thi Nguyen, Director of the Dong Nai Department of Health: Entering a new phase of development, the healthcare system still reveals some limitations. These include a shortage of high-quality personnel, especially specialist doctors; uneven development of grassroots healthcare; many health stations lacking leadership and accounting staff; inadequate management capacity; and deteriorating infrastructure in some units. In particular, the rate of healthcare staff resignations continues. In the first four months of 2026 alone, 123 personnel resigned, including 46 doctors. Grassroots healthcare facilities still lack more than 1,000 personnel needed for effective operation.
To strengthen the grassroots healthcare system, the Dong Nai health sector aims to complete the reorganization and consolidation of 95 commune and ward health stations before December 31, 2026. Simultaneously, it will review, build new, and repair stations that do not meet standards, prioritizing investment in disadvantaged areas and border regions; standardize the list of basic equipment; and improve the quality of frontline personnel. This orientation is strategically significant because, in the two-tiered local government model, health stations not only provide initial medical examination and treatment but also serve as a "shield" for preventive healthcare, community health management, early disease detection, and reducing the burden on higher-level facilities.
| Dong Nai currently has nearly 4,500 doctors, reaching 10 doctors per 10,000 people. To achieve the target of 13-15 doctors per 10,000 people by 2030, the city needs to add nearly 3,800 more doctors. |
To improve the quality of human resources at the grassroots level, the health sector has proposed solutions such as rotating, deploying, and seconding doctors from higher-level facilities to support local healthcare centers. Simultaneously, continuous training is being implemented, and specific policies are being developed for disadvantaged areas.
Regarding the basic healthcare system, the health sector is reorganizing regional health centers to ensure streamlined, effective, and efficient operation. In the second quarter of 2026, and no later than December 31, 2026, all functions, tasks, medical equipment, finances, assets, and personnel involved in preventive work at regional health centers, along with some other personnel, will be transferred to local health stations. Simultaneously, consideration will be given to dissolving or merging ineffective regional health centers and units under the Department of Health. Hospitals and regional health centers will be reorganized into general or specialized hospitals under the Department of Health, or as second facilities of city-level general or specialized hospitals.
Establish specialized centers
If primary healthcare is the foundation, then specialized hospitals are the "face" of the city's healthcare sector. Currently, Dong Nai has two hospitals classified as specialized hospitals: Dong Nai General Hospital and Thong Nhat General Hospital.
According to the Director of the Department of Health, Do Thi Nguyen, the health sector will invest in and upgrade the Long Khanh Regional General Hospital to 1,400 beds; and the Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital to 1,500 beds, based on expanding the scale and converting the functions of the Dong Nai Children's Hospital. These two units will be invested in and upgraded to become specialized hospitals in the near future.
For Thong Nhat General Hospital, the plan is to upgrade and expand its capacity to 1,500 beds, including specialized centers such as: Orthopedics - Rehabilitation - Traditional Medicine, Interventional Cardiology - Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Nephrology and Urology, and Geriatrics. Dong Nai General Hospital plans to upgrade and expand its capacity to 2,000 beds, establishing specialized centers for: Ear, Nose and Throat, Oncology, Cardiology, and Stroke.
In addition, the health sector also plans to build a new Tropical Disease Center with a capacity of 200-300 beds; and invest in and improve the quality of hospitals such as Binh Phuoc General Hospital, Dinh Quan Regional General Hospital, and Long Thanh Regional General Hospital.
According to Do Thi Nguyen, Director of the Department of Health: Developing specialized medical centers is essential to meet the increasing healthcare needs of local people. Having these centers capable of treating complex diseases will reduce referrals to higher-level facilities, save costs for residents, and increase attractiveness throughout the region.
Given the large population, complex traffic, and the low rate of patients admitted during the "golden hour," the health sector will advise the City People's Committee on a project to build an out-of-hospital emergency network to improve the survival rate for patients with stroke, myocardial infarction, severe trauma, etc. This will focus on investing in and building a new 115 Emergency Center with a scale of 0.1-0.5 hectares, investing in equipment and tools for digital transformation in the operation of the 115 emergency system throughout the city; upgrading the old Binh Phuoc regional emergency operation center at Binh Phuoc General Hospital. At the same time, it will strengthen emergency transport teams at general hospitals, ensuring each hospital has at least two ambulances.
Regarding the issue of human resources in the healthcare sector, Standing Committee member of the City Party Committee and Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee Le Truong Son stated: The City People's Committee is accelerating cooperation with the Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy to open a medical training branch in Dong Nai. In addition, they are continuing to advise and submit to the City People's Council policies to attract and support healthcare human resources. This will help healthcare staff feel secure in their work and remain committed to their units in the long term.
Hanh Dung
Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/xa-hoi/y-te/202605/nang-tam-he-thong-y-te-2f60549/
![[Image] Pleasant weather helps students enter the 10th grade entrance exam with confidence.](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/1200x675/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2026/05/29/1780034401612_ngay-1-thi-lop-10-minh-duy-8-5009-jpg.webp)
![[Photo] Ba Lang An Lighthouse - the "eye of the sea" amidst the "rock museum" of Quang Ngai province.](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/1200x675/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2026/05/29/1780038698840_anh-man-hinh-2026-05-29-luc-14-10-42.png)
Comment (0)