Building a socialist model associated with socialist people in Hai Phong: What has been seen - Part 2: Building a modern healthcare system

In the process of 'Building a socialist model associated with socialist people in Hai Phong city', the city always pays special attention to ensuring social security, especially in the field of healthcare, care and protection of people's health.

Hai Phong City is the first locality to issue many practical policies to better care for people's lives. In the photo: Comrade Le Van Hieu, Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee, Chairman of the Hai Phong City People's Council, together with leaders and delegates of the City People's Council, surveyed a number of businesses and schools (documentary photo)

Modern health care system

In the overall process of building a socialist model in Hai Phong, a modern, humane, and humane healthcare system is considered a fundamental pillar, most clearly demonstrating the nature of the model of “socialism associated with socialist people”. Healthcare development is not only aimed at health care but also a vivid demonstration of the harmonious combination of economic growth and human development that Hai Phong is creating.

Doctors at Viet Tiep Friendship Hospital perform kidney transplant surgery for a patient.

Looking back over the past years, the city's health development indicators have increased over the years and are higher than the national average. Hai Phong currently has 19 city-level hospitals, 27 regional health centers, 375 commune, ward and special zone health stations, 7 hospitals under ministries and branches and 13 private hospitals.

The city is also one of eight localities selected by the Ministry of Health to pilot the family doctor clinic model. The ratio of doctors per 10,000 people increased from 13.46 in 2020 to 16 in 2025, 1.6 times higher than the national average; the number of hospital beds per 10,000 people reached 45, 1.42 times higher than the average. Primary health care and disease prevention work were carried out effectively.

More and more foreigners, from those living and working in Vietnam to patients choosing medical tourism, have trusted Viet Tiep Friendship Hospital thanks to its high professional quality, dedicated medical staff and modern equipment system that meets international standards. Photo: DO HIEN

Hai Phong's health sector currently has a wide network from the city to communes, wards, and special zones with many large hospitals such as Viet Tiep Friendship Hospital, Hai Phong Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Hai Phong Children's Hospital, Hai Duong General Hospital, Hai Duong Rehabilitation Hospital... and central-level hospitals in the area such as Marine Medicine Hospital, Hospital 108 - Facility 2, Military Hospital 7.

The private healthcare system has also developed strongly, contributing to expanding access to services and improving the quality of medical examination and treatment. Hospitals such as Hai Phong International General Hospital, Hai Phong - Vinh Bao International General Hospital, Vinmec Hospital, Hoa Binh General Hospital, etc. have been invested in modern and spacious facilities, meeting the increasing demand for medical examination and treatment of the people.

Along with that, many advanced medical techniques are deployed at the front lines such as SPECT-CT, 128-slice CT scan, DSA angiography, Thalassemia treatment, Ateplase fibrinolysis, hemodialysis...

Many advanced medical techniques that were previously only performed at the final level or abroad have now become routine procedures at the city's hospitals, such as kidney transplants at Viet Tiep Friendship Hospital and corneal transplants at Hai Phong Eye Hospital...

Cataract surgery for the elderly in Hai Phong.

On October 14, Viet Tiep Friendship Hospital successfully performed the 8th kidney transplant of the same bloodline for a patient with end-stage chronic kidney disease. It is no coincidence that people call organ transplantation the "art of life". Because behind every successful surgery is a heart-touching story. Mrs. PTP, 48 years old - the person who donated a kidney to save her own son shared: "Thanks to the team of skilled doctors, my son and I have overcome the difficult days of treatment with regular dialysis sessions, physically and mentally exhausted".

The success of kidney transplant No. 8 is a new step forward in the journey of mastering advanced technology, affirming the pioneering position of Viet Tiep Friendship Hospital - a specialized medical center in the Northern Coastal region.

Hai Duong General Hospital constantly expands comprehensive cooperation with central hospitals to protect and care for people's health better and better (documentary photo)

Not only mastering high technology, one of the key tasks that the health sector has been focusing on is promoting comprehensive digital transformation, completing the construction of a synchronous medical database, ensuring connection and sharing. By September 30, 2025, all 46 public health units under the Hai Phong Department of Health have completed the implementation of electronic medical records on the Ministry of Health Information Portal.

The health sector is currently deploying many digital platforms such as electronic health records, remote medical examination and treatment, HIS and LIS software... The flexible application of specific mechanisms and policies according to Resolution 226 of the National Assembly will continue to create "pushes" bringing about breakthrough changes in the health sector of Hai Phong.

The private healthcare system has also grown strongly, contributing to expanding access to services and improving the quality of medical examination and treatment. In the photo: Health check-up for children at Hoa Binh General Hospital. Photo: THANH CHUNG

Many preferential policies

The consistent goal of Hai Phong city is to develop a synchronous, specialized, and modern health sector, shortening the distance between levels and with neighboring localities, towards universal health insurance.

As of September 2025, the whole city had more than 3.7 million people participating in health insurance, reaching 96.93% of the plan, accounting for 93% of the population. In 9 months, more than 4.2 million people went to see a doctor using health insurance, with full benefits paid by the fund. Health insurance has become a key factor in the comprehensive people's health care system.

Staff of Kinh Mon Medical Center guide patients to register for medical examination via electronic Kiosk.

To achieve the goal of universal health insurance coverage, Hai Phong and Hai Duong (old) are both leading localities in issuing many practical policies. Hai Phong City (old) implemented Resolution No. 05 to support more than 100,000 elderly people aged 60-79 to be granted free health insurance cards; partially or fully support the premiums for near-poor people, people with HIV, members of the blind association... In addition, more than 15,000 people who have escaped poverty or near-poverty are supported with 100% of the premiums according to Resolution No. 04 of the City People's Council.

In Hai Duong province (old), Resolution No. 37 of the Provincial People's Council stipulates 100% support for health insurance premiums for people escaping poverty, the elderly aged 77-79 without pensions, party members with 40-year Party membership badges, and members of security and order teams; other groups are supported with 30-70% of premiums.

Social Security officers and employees promote health insurance policies to the people.

At the age of 70, Ms. Hoang Thi Hue in Thuong Hong commune suffers from many old-age diseases such as headaches, stomachaches, insomnia, knee pain and has to go to the doctor and have regular health check-ups. With 30% support for health insurance premiums for people from 65 to under 77 years old supported by the old locality before the merger, along with 70% of the premiums supported by the budget of Hai Duong province (old), Ms. Hue was given a free health insurance card. Ms. Hue confided: "Everyone wants to be healthy, but unfortunately when they get sick in old age, having a health insurance card will help them avoid worrying about their children and grandchildren. Being given a free health insurance card, I feel more secure every time I go to the hospital, especially when health insurance benefits are increasingly expanded, bringing extremely humane values."

Similarly, Ms. Nguyen Thi Khuong, born in 1952, in An Lao commune, happily said: “Because of my old age, poor health, and no pension or social benefits, I have to buy my own health insurance card every year. After many years of struggling and worrying every time my health insurance card expires, I am now supported with a free card. With a health insurance card for protection, I go for regular health check-ups every year to proactively prevent diseases.”

Deputy Director of Hai Phong Social Insurance Dinh Thi Lan Huong said that the unit has proposed that the city consider increasing the level of insurance support for the poor, near-poor, and elderly people... so that people in the two localities can enjoy equal policies and encourage participation in social security.

However, not stopping with the achieved results and always aiming for higher goals to serve the people better and better, in recent times, the city has implemented many specific and practical solutions to improve the quality of medical work and health care for the people.

The old Hai Phong City has approved the Project "Improving the capacity of the public health system by 2030" and issued Resolution No. 10 of the City People's Council on special policies to support training and remuneration of human resources in the medical sector for the period 2024 - 2030.

In 2024, the total support budget reached 32.78 billion VND, supporting the training and treatment of 3,880 doctors, pharmacists, and civil servants; in 2025, it is expected to be 50.6 billion VND. 5 units were approved for infrastructure investment with a total capital of 391 billion VND.

In Hai Duong province (old), the Project "Strengthening facilities and equipment at public health units at the provincial level in the period 2025 - 2030" and Resolution No. 39 of the Provincial People's Council were issued with a total budget of 33.55 billion VND for training, attracting and rewarding medical human resources.

In August 2025, the Hai Duong Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital Phase 2 project was inaugurated and put into use, contributing to the completion of technical infrastructure, meeting the needs of obstetrics and gynecology examination and treatment for the West Hai Phong area and the whole city. Photo: THANH CHUNG

Deputy Director of the Department of Health Tran Quoc Trinh said that with the attention of the City Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee and the support of all levels and sectors, Hai Phong's health system has been heavily invested, especially in infrastructure, contributing to improving the quality of medical examination and treatment for the people. In the period of 2021 - 2025, the health sector has been allocated more than 4,177 billion VND to renovate, build and purchase modern equipment. Of which, the Eastern region has 9 public investment projects with a total cost of about 945 billion VND, the Western region has 11 public investment projects with a total cost of about 3,232 billion VND.

According to Mr. Tran Quoc Trinh, along with the achieved results, there are still many facilities that have degraded and do not meet the requirements for investment, upgrading and renovation. Therefore, the Department of Health proposed an investment need of 15,861 billion VND for the period 2026 - 2030, in which priority is given to more than 20 key projects with an investment capital of about 5,700 billion VND.

Vision for the future

Health check-up for the elderly at Phu Thai Commune Health Station.

The city is aiming to build Hai Phong into a high-quality medical center of the region and the whole country, gradually upgrading Viet Tiep Friendship Hospital into a special-class hospital, planning a high-tech medical zone in the South associated with an ecological - industrial - research urban area. At the same time, restructuring the grassroots health system according to the model of family doctor clinics, smart community health; investing in a regional Center for Disease Control (CDC), applying artificial intelligence and big data in public health management.

The goals and solutions in Resolution 72-NQ/TW of the Politburo on a number of breakthrough solutions to strengthen the protection, care and improvement of people's health and the Project "Improving the capacity of the health system in Hai Phong city" are considered as a specific action roadmap to realize the viewpoint of "taking people as the center".

Hai Phong City aims to provide free health check-ups for residents at least once a year from 2026. By 2030, basic hospital fees will be exempted within the scope of health insurance benefits and other benefits will be expanded.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Le Minh Quang, Director of the Department of Health, the development and implementation of the Project "Improving the capacity of the Hai Phong City health system" to implement Resolution No. 72 of the Politburo is an urgent requirement, aiming to become the Medical Center of the Northern Coastal Region by 2030, with a modern, high-quality and effective system, leading in the field of marine medicine.

Hai Phong aims to attract more than 5,000 doctors and nurses to work at medical facilities by 2030. Photo: DO HIEN

In the context of Hai Phong being the largest seaport center in the North - the growth pole of the marine economy - the need for a specialized marine and island medical system is becoming increasingly urgent. Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Thi Quynh Chi, Director of the Vietnam Institute of Marine Medicine, said that the industry has built a solid foundation in hyperbaric medicine, timely treatment of specific accidents such as decompression sickness in divers, CO poisoning, supporting treatment and rehabilitation for patients with cerebral infarction, difficult-to-heal wounds... The Institute also coordinates advanced treatment methods such as platelet-rich plasma in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis.

Hai Phong is also researching to pioneer the pilot "Smart Seaport Enterprise Medical Model" at large ports and shipbuilding industrial zones, standardizing first aid equipment, and establishing a specialized maritime medicine training program in coordination between the Institute of Maritime Medicine, Hai Phong University of Medicine and Pharmacy and businesses.

It can be affirmed that improving the quality of life and comprehensively developing the people of Hai Phong not only helps people become healthier and happier, but also creates momentum for balanced and sustainable economic growth, contributing to narrowing the health gap between urban and island areas. Moreover, it is also a vivid expression of the idea of ​​"taking people as the center of development", affirming the humanistic values ​​and socialist orientation that our Party and State steadfastly implement and for the people, for the future of Hai Phong today and tomorrow.

NEWS REPORTER GROUP

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/xay-dung-mo-hinh-chu-nghia-xa-hoi-gan-voi-con-nguoi-xa-hoi-chu-nghia-tai-hai-phong-nhung-dieu-da-thay-bai-2-kien-tao-he-thong-y-te-hien-dai-524856.html