For a healthy and long-lived Vietnam - Part 1: How is free screening done?

Resolution 72 of the Politburo emphasizes shifting the focus from treatment to disease prevention, with the goal of organizing free health check-ups and screening for people.

Medical staff of Ho Chi Minh City Hospital of Traditional Medicine guide patients to free medical examination at the hospital - Photo: THUY DUONG

The draft political report of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Congress for the 2025-2030 term sets out the tasks of protecting, caring for, and improving the health, stature, longevity, and quality of life of the people. Aiming for Ho Chi Minh City to be in the top 100 most livable cities in the world and become the health care center of the ASEAN region.

The policy of free health screening and examination for all people according to Decree 72 opens up a "golden opportunity" to detect diseases early, helping people to be screened periodically and promptly detect cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, etc.

Mr. NVT (66 years old, residing in Duc Nhuan Ward, Ho Chi Minh City) was recently diagnosed with late-stage bile duct cancer. Test results and clinical diagnosis showed that the disease had metastasized to many other organs in the body. Doctors predicted that he would only have about 6 months to 1 year to live.

Early detection means people can live healthier, work better and enjoy life better.

Doctor QUOC THINH

Late detection of disease, spending billions of dong only gives one a few more years to live

After nearly two months of discovering the disease, Mr. T.'s family has spent nearly 500 million VND on treatment, but the treatment has not shown any positive results. Relatives said that for many years, Mr. T. did not go for regular health check-ups; it was only when he started having symptoms of back pain and difficulty walking that he went to the hospital, but the disease was already in the late stages.

In contrast to Mr. T., during her recent free medical examination on October 5 at the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital of Traditional Medicine, Ms. Truong Thi Thuan (83 years old, residing in Ban Co Ward, Ho Chi Minh City) said that in recent years, every year the ward has encouraged her to participate in a free health examination and screening once.

She has maintained a healthy diet and practiced yoga regularly. Her health is good, with only mild high blood pressure and no underlying diseases. "With the government's attention and annual health check-ups, I am very happy and feel much more secure," said Ms. Thuan.

Mr. Dang Huy Quoc Thinh - Chairman of the Vietnam Palliative Care Medicine Association, former Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital - said that the policy of free health check-ups for all people stated in Decree 72 is a very good policy, demonstrating a long-term and humane vision in people's health care.

However, to implement it on a national scale requires a long process, because it depends on resources. However, the decree has allowed the implementation of the first step - organizing annual health check-ups for the people. This is considered an important initial step, opening up opportunities to realize the goal of universal health care in the near future.

"Doing so is great. It not only helps detect cancer early but also detects cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, etc. Early detection of disease means a higher chance of cure," Dr. Quoc Thinh emphasized.

Previously, many people did not have the conditions to go for regular health check-ups due to cost, time or lack of understanding of the importance of health check-ups. When this policy is implemented free of charge, everyone - especially vulnerable groups - can access health services, be screened and have diseases detected early. This is an opportunity for people across the country to receive comprehensive health care, contributing to reducing the burden of disease on society.

In Vietnamese medicine as well as in the world , the principle of "prevention is better than cure" is always put first. Early detection not only helps patients to be treated more effectively but also saves costs, minimizes complications, and maintains a better quality of life. Especially with cancer, the benefits of early screening are even more obvious.

Dr. Thinh further analyzed that when the disease is detected early, the patient may only need simple surgery, without having to undergo further treatment with chemotherapy or radiotherapy - methods that are both expensive and have many side effects. On the contrary, if detected late, the treatment becomes more difficult, expensive and less effective.

Notably, the cost of modern methods such as immunotherapy or targeted therapy for late-stage cancer cases is extremely expensive - from several hundred million to billions of VND per year - while many new drugs are not covered by health insurance. "That is a huge burden for patients, their families and the entire health system," said Dr. Thinh. Therefore, screening and early detection of diseases not only helps protect people's health but also contributes to reducing cost pressure on the health sector.

Not only cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes also show great benefits when detected early. Patients can adjust their lifestyle, diet, exercise properly and take medication early, thereby effectively controlling the disease and limiting complications.

People receive free medical examinations at a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City - Photo: THUY DUONG

Health screening: need to divide into age groups

Mr. Nguyen Hoai Nam - Vice President of the Vietnam Association of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeons - said that the policy of free health check-ups and screening for all people according to Decree 72 of the Politburo shows the Party and State's concern for people's health. However, to realize this policy effectively and sustainably is a big challenge, especially in terms of financial resources.

According to Associate Professor Hoai Nam, a general health check-up, if performed properly, does not stop at measuring blood pressure or basic blood tests, but needs to include many specialized and modern paraclinical tests, from which diseases can be detected early, accurately and promptly.

Mr. Hoai Nam suggested that the health check-up packages should be grouped according to age, because each age group has different typical diseases. For young people, the health check-up should focus on issues such as arrhythmia, mild congenital heart disease, rheumatic heart disease or early metabolic diseases.

Meanwhile, middle-aged and elderly people need to pay attention to cardiovascular diseases due to atherosclerosis, heart failure, hypertension, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis and joint diseases. For example, a person around 60 years old when screening, the first thing to think about is cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis, because this is a group of diseases that can be life-threatening if detected late.

Dr. Hoai Nam emphasized that screening examinations need to be focused and focused, avoiding "spreading the disease" which is both costly and ineffective. When the disease is detected early, patients can be treated promptly, the results will be very good, with fewer complications and much less cost than when the disease is severe. "Early detection not only helps save the patient's life but also reduces the burden on the family and the national economy," he said.

Ms. Ha Thi Hong Linh, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital of Traditional Medicine, said that currently, health insurance does not cover regular health check-ups and screenings, affecting primary health care. "People often only go to the doctor when the disease is obvious, at which point treatment is too late. If screening is done early, it will save costs, time and improve treatment effectiveness," Ms. Linh said.

Ho Chi Minh City has implemented free health check-ups for all people aged 60 and over.

From 2023, Ho Chi Minh City will pilot a free periodic health check-up program for the elderly and expand it throughout the city from 2024, with a budget of about 150 billion VND per year, serving nearly 1 million people.

At the end of August 2025, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee announced a plan to expand the program to all people aged 60 and over, regardless of permanent residence, temporary residence, or newly merged area.

According to the Department of Health, each person will be invited for a medical examination at least once a year, including clinical examination, basic tests, screening for hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, COPD, dementia, etc. Results will be returned within 24-48 hours, with consultation or referral when needed. All data will be updated to the community health management system to help with continuous monitoring, early intervention, and reduced treatment costs.

Towards the model of "prevention is better than cure"

According to Ms. Ha Linh, Vietnam should aim for a "prevention is better than cure" model like many developed countries. "If health insurance covers screening and vaccination for diseases such as flu and pneumonia in the elderly, it would be great," Ms. Linh suggested. Currently, most people with economic conditions are screened regularly, while retired elderly people often only go to the doctor when they are sick, leading to many disadvantages in health care.

>> Part 2: School nutrition standards - the formula for a healthy Vietnamese generation

THUY DUONG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/vi-mot-viet-nam-khoe-manh-truong-tho-ky-1-kham-sang-loc-mien-phi-ra-sao-20251009081145018.htm