Increasing allowances to prevent brain drain in the medical field.

The Ministry of Health is drafting a decree to replace the current regulations on preferential allowances based on profession, with the expectation that it will increase opportunities for doctors and medical staff to stay in the profession and address the problem of "brain drain" in public health.

Increased allowances for doctors and medical staff are needed to prevent "brain drain" in public healthcare . (In the photo: examining a child at Children's Hospital 1 (Ho Chi Minh City) - Photo: DUYEN PHAN)

For nearly 15 years, on-call allowances, surgical allowances, epidemic control allowances, and meal allowances for healthcare workers have remained stagnant. High work pressure, rising living costs, and outdated salaries have led tens of thousands of healthcare workers in public hospitals to resign or move to private hospitals.

A cardiac catheterization procedure... 84,000 VND

Dr. A., who works at a tertiary hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, said that he and his colleagues perform about 6-7 cardiac catheterizations each day. However, the total daily allowance he receives is only just over 500,000 VND.

"When entering the interventional cardiology room, we doctors have to wear lead aprons weighing about 8kg, then stand and perform cardiac interventions on patients from morning until late evening. Yet, the allowance for each cardiac intervention for children is only 84,000 VND because it's only classified as a procedure," Doctor A. confided, hoping that the proposed increase in allowances would be implemented soon.

The doctors also gave a typical example: a difficult spinal surgery case where the surgical team stood continuously from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM until their limbs went numb, but the lead surgeon only received 280,000 VND, while the assistant surgeon and technicians only received 200,000 VND.

The on-call allowance is also very low. Currently, doctors work about 5-7 on-call days each month, but the total on-call allowance is less than 1 million VND. This includes an allowance of 90,000 VND and 15,000 VND for meals for a 24-hour shift, from the morning of the previous day to the morning of the following day.

At the grassroots level, on-call pay and allowances are even lower. On-call pay for staff at commune health stations is currently 18,750 VND per night on weekdays and 32,500 VND per night on weekends, with a meal allowance of 15,000 VND per night. "On-call pay isn't even enough for a bowl of pho," one doctor lamented.

There is no one to "pass on the trade" to.

Working at a general hospital in the outskirts of Hanoi , Dr. Giang A Chinh (27 years old) shared that after nearly two years since graduating, his current monthly income is less than 9 million VND.

"Prices are constantly rising, while allowances remain the same for years," Mr. Chinh said sadly, frankly sharing that after obtaining his professional license, he plans to apply for a job at a private hospital to improve his life.

"Personally, I think the main reason doctors move to the private sector is income. In large hospitals that can provide a wide range of technical services, the living standards and income of doctors and medical staff are guaranteed, so very few people switch to private hospitals."

Therefore, income is the primary factor. If professional allowances are increased, and the income of medical staff, especially those at the grassroots level, is boosted, most doctors will be less likely to switch jobs. Everyone wants stability and to improve their professional skills. So, no one who is currently working here will switch to another place," Dr. Chinh frankly shared.

Speaking to Tuổi Trẻ newspaper, Dr. TN (Ho Chi Minh City), who has decades of experience working at a first-class hospital, shared that because the allowances are too "outdated," thousands of medical staff, not only in Ho Chi Minh City but also in other provinces, have quit their jobs in recent years.

"In my department, it's currently very difficult to find a doctor to 'pass on the trade' to, because most doctors, after training at public hospitals for a while and gaining experience, will move to private hospitals. Or, those who are determined have to take on extra work outside the hospital to make ends meet. Increasing their allowances and on-call pay is essential and must be implemented soon. Only when their worries about making ends meet are eased will medical staff feel secure enough to dedicate themselves to their work," said Dr. N.