Brookings Institution highlights Vietnam’s progress in universal health
Hanoi (VNA) - Brookings Institution, a non-profit public policy organisation based in
Washington DC, has run an article highlighting Vietnam’s impressive progress in
universal health coverage (UHC) over the past decade.
The article cited a recent research as saying that Vietnam
provided a generous
benefit package that is more equitable for all.
It held that the takeaway lessons for other developing
countries that want to achieve UHC through health insurance include strong
political commitment with financial resources and an incremental approach that
is attuned to their population. When designing health insurance systems,
keeping tabs on all three UHC dimensions, ensuring consistent service coverage
for essential health services, and government subsidies for vulnerable
populations are needed.
Vietnam established health insurance for employees in the
1990s, but it wasn’t until 2003 that the government began taking more financial
responsibility for the poor. That was when it increased coverage, though incrementally,
it noted.
It said that Vietnam made impressive increases in population
coverage over the span of 13 years through the critical policies/laws/decrees
they enacted.
Vietnam’s pro-poor design focused on stabilising the most
vulnerable populations, so those uninsured are assumed to have some form of
financial capacity.
However, it noted that Vietnam still faces great challenges,
including aging population and shifting disease burdens are putting a lot of
pressure on the financial sustainability of their health insurance systems.
Cross subsidization, provider payment reform, and
cost-effective benefit packages have to be carefully designed and implemented
to improve the efficiency, equity, and affordability of health insurance
systems. Though the future is uncertain, Vietnam’s prospects look promising as
they continue to customize their designs to their realities, it added./.