Lao Cai Health - "Modern, humane, close to the people"

In the period of 2021 - 2025, the Lao Cai health sector has undergone a comprehensive transformation after merging the apparatus and human resources of the two old provinces of Lao Cai and Yen Bai. The sector has proactively streamlined its organization, modernized its infrastructure, promoted synchronous digital transformation and improved service quality, built the image of a team of doctors and medical staff close to the people, dedicated and professional, becoming a solid support for the people.

Medical facilities are invested with increasingly modern equipment to meet people's needs for medical examination and treatment.

Up to now, 7/8 of the province's main health indicators have been achieved and exceeded the plan. Average life expectancy reached 72 years, of which the number of healthy years reached 68; health insurance coverage rate was 96.5%; the rate of underweight malnutrition in children under 5 years old decreased to 13%. Notably, the number of doctors reached 12.8 people/10,000 people and the number of hospital beds reached 41.1/10,000 people, exceeding the average level of the Northern Midlands and Mountains region.

The only unmet target is the rate of communes and wards meeting national health standards (90.9%) because the Ministry of Health has temporarily suspended new recognition pending the issuance of a set of criteria suitable for the two-tier local government model. However, this is an objective factor that does not affect the quality of basic health care at the grassroots level.

We identify that health care must be implemented synchronously from the grassroots level, in line with the political tasks of each locality. The sector always aims to improve service quality, ensuring that all people have access to safe and timely health care services, especially in remote areas and ethnic minority areas.

Mr. Hoang Quoc Huong, Director of Lao Cai Provincial Department of Health---

In particular, after the merger, Lao Cai's health system was reorganized in a streamlined, efficient, and unified manner, from preventive medicine, medical examination and treatment, planning and finance to social protection and child care. The province currently has 8 provincial hospitals, 9 preventive medicine centers, 31 regional clinics, and 216 commune and ward health stations.

With a team of nearly 9,200 well-trained staff, including more than 2,200 doctors and 460 university pharmacists. The proportion of doctors with postgraduate qualifications is more than 30%, it can be affirmed that the province's medical human resources have become much stronger in both quantity and quality. Along with that, non-public health care has developed strongly with 5 private hospitals and hundreds of specialized clinics, contributing to reducing the burden on the public system.

The inpatient treatment facility of Bao Thang Regional General Hospital has just been inaugurated and put into use.

Lao Cai province has paid special attention to investing in infrastructure and modern equipment for the health sector. Specifically, over the past 5 years, the health sector has implemented 12 projects to build, renovate and upgrade health facilities with a total investment of more than 2,400 billion VND; at the same time, it has purchased more than 1,630 billion VND of modern equipment, such as: MRI, CT-scan, DSA, RT-PCR systems, hemodialysis machines, IVF equipment and linear cancer radiotherapy systems. 100% of public health facilities have been invested in and upgraded, better meeting the people's needs for medical examination and treatment.

Provincial General Hospital No. 2 is assessed by the Ministry of Health to be qualified to implement 16 special techniques.

Lao Cai General Hospital No. 2 is a bright spot in terms of expertise and equipment. Recently, the hospital was assessed by the Ministry of Health as qualified to deploy 16 more special techniques in the fields of oncology, radiology, endoscopic surgery and cosmetic plastic surgery, a group of techniques requiring high qualifications and modern infrastructure.

According to Master, Doctor Pham Van Thinh - Director of Provincial General Hospital No. 2, the successful implementation of these techniques helps people access high-quality medical services right in their localities, reducing costs, transfer times and reducing the load on central hospitals.

"This is proof of the remarkable development in professional capacity, affirming the position of Lao Cai healthcare in the midland and mountainous region of the North" - Master, Doctor Pham Van Thinh emphasized.

Not only at the provincial level, Yen Binh Regional Medical Center is also a typical example in comprehensive digital transformation. The center has invested in synchronous machinery and equipment, ensuring data connection between the district and commune levels. The unit implements cashless hospital fee payment, data connection of birth and death certificates, electronic prescriptions and medical examination and treatment using citizen identification cards. In particular, the center is piloting the integration of electronic health records on the VNeID application, helping people monitor and manage personal medical information anytime, anywhere.

Medical staff of Yen Binh Regional Medical Center guide people to register for medical examination procedures.

BSCKI Leu Thi Thanh Nga - Director of Yen Binh Regional Medical Center, said: "Administrative reform and application of information technology have helped the center reduce many procedures, shorten the examination and treatment process and improve patient satisfaction. In particular, the spirit and service attitude of medical staff are increasingly more professional and closer to the people."

Typical models such as Provincial General Hospital No. 2 and Yen Binh Regional Medical Center show a clear change in management thinking, affirming the correct orientation of Lao Cai's health sector: synchronous investment, taking people as the center of service.

However, there are still some challenges that need to be addressed, including slow implementation progress at 5 regional hospitals: Bao Yen, Van Ban, Bac Ha, Bat Xat and Si Ma Cai; shortage of specialist doctors and medical equipment at the grassroots level; along with unsynchronized digital transformation. These are important "bottlenecks" that the entire industry is focusing on overcoming, in order to improve operational efficiency and quality of medical services in the coming time.

Mr. Hoang Quoc Huong - Director of the Department of Health, affirmed: "The Department of Health will continue to propose specific policies to attract human resources, while urging the completion of regional hospital projects, ensuring that all people, regardless of region, have access to quality medical services."

A team of highly skilled doctors and nurses, along with modern equipment, have successfully performed many complex surgeries at the grassroots level.

Entering the 2026 - 2030 period, Lao Cai Health sector aims to build a modern - equitable - effective - internationally integrated health system. Key targets include: increasing average life expectancy to 75.5 years; 100% of communes meeting national health standards; 100% of people receiving electronic health management; ensuring all medical waste is treated according to standards.

The province will expand General Hospital No. 1 and No. 2 into regional hospitals; build a new Geriatric - Rehabilitation Hospital; continue to develop endemic medicinal herbs, medical tourism and apply artificial intelligence (AI) in electronic medical record management.

With clear orientation, determination of the industry and the attention and direction of the province, Lao Cai Health is gradually affirming its position as a "Modern, humane and close to the people" industry, making an important contribution to improving the quality of life and health of the people.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/y-te-lao-cai-hien-dai-nhan-van-gan-dan-post886313.html