Ho Chi Minh City is building a system for managing the health of all citizens.

On the morning of May 25th, Mr. Nguyen Phuoc Loc, Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee and Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, held a working session with the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health regarding the universal health check-up program and the plan for investing in and developing medical facilities in the city.

Over 2.5 trillion VND spent on free health check-ups.

According to Associate Professor, Doctor Nguyen Anh Dung, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health , the city is implementing a plan for regular health check-ups for its citizens, with the goal of each person receiving at least one check-up per year. The check-up results will be updated in an electronic health record for life-cycle management.

The target group for the screening includes all residents actually residing in Ho Chi Minh City, including both permanent and temporary residents, as identified through the VNeID application; units managed by the city; and workers currently employed in the area. It is projected that in 2026, the health sector will organize screenings for approximately 15 million people, prioritizing vulnerable groups such as the elderly, people with disabilities, poor and near-poor households, war veterans, people with chronic diseases, and people in disadvantaged areas.

Doctors at Thong Nhat Hospital conduct health checkups for local residents. PHOTO: THANH SON

The examinations will be conducted flexibly, including examinations at qualified medical facilities, mobile examinations at schools, companies, and residential areas, and home visits for the elderly, those living alone, or those with limited mobility. The total estimated cost for implementing the program in 2026 is approximately 2,507 billion VND for over 10.3 million people. Specifically, the informal labor group of approximately 4.5 million people is expected to require over 1,515 billion VND; and the elderly group of approximately 1.6 million people will require nearly 539 billion VND.

For over 4.5 million officially employed workers, businesses and employers will be responsible for organizing regular health check-ups as required by regulations. The cost of a health check-up shall not exceed 350,000 VND per person per check-up per year. Funding will be mobilized from the state budget, school health funds, employer funds, and other legal sources.

Currently, according to information from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, the first nine areas of the city, including An Nhon Tay, Ba Diem, Hiep Phuoc, Tan Nhut, Thanh An, Bac Tan Uyen, Dat Do, Ho Tram communes and the Con Dao special zone, are accelerating the implementation of the universal health check-up program, determined to essentially complete it by the second quarter of 2026.

The participation of the entire political system is needed.

At the meeting, Comrade Nguyen Phuoc Loc requested that the health sector continue to strongly innovate its development thinking, not only focusing on disease treatment but also shifting strongly towards managing the health of the entire population, prioritizing disease prevention, developing preventive medicine, primary healthcare, and basic health care. This is not only a major direction of the Party, State, and Government but also an urgent requirement in the context of a rapidly aging population, changing disease patterns, and increasingly complex health risks.

Doctors from Gia Dinh People's Hospital examine local residents.

The national health check-up program is a crucial political task with profound significance for the care and protection of people's health. Health check-ups not only aim to detect diseases early but also help build a national health database to serve long-term management and policy planning.

The Department of Health needs to develop a systematic and scientific plan, clearly defining objectives, timelines, resources, and responsibilities for each unit, level, and sector in the spirit of "clear responsibilities, clear tasks, clear progress, clear accountability, and clear results." "This is not solely the responsibility of the health sector but requires the synchronized participation of the entire political system, from departments, sectors, localities, political and social organizations to the business community, religious organizations, and the people. Only by mobilizing the combined strength of the entire society can the program be implemented effectively and sustainably," emphasized Comrade Nguyen Phuoc Loc.

Regarding the future development direction of the healthcare system, Comrade Nguyen Phuoc Loc requested that the health sector closely adhere to the city's development plan until 2075 – commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Liberation of Southern Vietnam and the reunification of the country. This plan should clearly identify specialized medical centers, gateway hospital systems, the grassroots healthcare network, and community health care institutions. Investment must be linked to the development of high-quality human resources, modernization of equipment, improvement of professional capacity, and increased access to healthcare services for the people.

Since May 25th, many localities nationwide have developed plans and implemented free periodic health check-ups and screenings for their citizens. In 2026, Dong Thap province expects to have over 1.9 million people examined; Quang Ninh province will provide services to approximately 1.4 million people; and Da Nang city will begin implementation on July 1st, after completing the review of the citizen list before June 30th.

THANH AN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/tphcm-xay-dung-he-thong-quan-ly-suc-khoe-toan-dan-post854414.html