Vietnam works hard to reach universal health coverage by 2030. (Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn)The Vietnamese Ministry of Health reported at ahigh-level meeting on UHC of the United Nations General Assembly on September23, 2019 that a primary healthcare system has been established from central tograssroots levels in Vietnam with more than 11,000 commune health centres, mostof which have at least a doctor, a nurse and a midwife working based on themodel of family medical practices.
At the high-level meeting on UHC of the United Nations General Assembly on September 23, 2019. (Photo: Ministry of Health)About 90 percent of the Vietnamese population iscovered with health insurance and the government has subsidised fully the premiumsfor disadvantaged groups and those in difficult circumstances, and 70 percentof the premiums for the poor.
Being aware of the significance of primary health care,Vietnam has enforced 10 reforms to enhance the effectiveness of its healthcaresystem, particularly the competence of primary healthcare clinics to providebetter services for both ill and healthy people.
Vietnam would soon take the lead in UHC by buildinga firm foundation based on primary health care, with the participation of bothpublic and private sectors.
The WB has also commended Vietnam’s efforts to reachUHC by 2030, notably in increasing health insurance coverage, raising premiumsubsidies for health insurance for the near-poor and those working in theinformal sector, and stepping up the communication work in this regard, amongothers.
According to the Vietnam Social Security (VSS), asof early 2021, the number of health insurance participants totaled 87.97million, making up 90.05 percent of the country's population./.
VNA
