Ho Chi Minh City (VNA) – Following the launch of a 150-day intensive campaign to provide health check-ups for all residents, local authorities across Ho Chi Minh City have accelerated implementation, aiming to complete health screenings for the entire population by December 15.
According to the municipal Department of Health, as of July 20, a total of 732,873 residents had undergone periodic check-ups and had electronic health records established. The figure reflects encouraging initial results from the citywide campaign launched by the department and underscores local authorities' commitment to implementing one of the largest community healthcare programmes ever undertaken in the southern metropolis.
Ba Diem commune currently leads the city with 16,508 residents having received check-ups and electronic records, followed by Long Hai commune (16,161), An Nhon Tay commune (15,093), Xuan Thoi Son commune (14,491) and Phu Hoa Dong commune (14,003).
Meanwhile, six localities have so far recorded health screening rates of less than 2% of their populations.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Anh Dung, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Health, said the city would mobilise 480 healthcare facilities, including public and private hospitals, ministry-run hospitals, commune health stations and polyclinics, to participate in the programme through the end of the year. A total of 10,000 healthcare workers have been trained and are ready to take part.
The Department of Health has assigned healthcare facilities to support local authorities in conducting health screenings. Each commune, ward and special administrative area has been linked with one or more medical facilities based on population size and local conditions. Hospitals are working closely with local administrations to organise mobile health screening teams at health stations, community screening sites and residential areas to ensure convenient access for residents.
To ensure no one is overlooked, the city has divided the rollout into specific target groups with defined timelines. Around 6 million formally employed workers, including public officials, civil servants, public employees and enterprise workers, are expected to complete their check-ups by October 31. Healthcare workers themselves are scheduled to complete screenings during July.
For more than 3.5 million pupils and students, including 2.7 million school pupils and 800,000 university and college students, health screenings will begin after the start of the new academic year and are expected to be completed by October 31.
For children not attending school, informal workers and other vulnerable groups, the city will conduct door-to-door outreach to encourage participation in the programme. Residents aged 90 and above, as well as those with mobility difficulties, will receive health check-ups at home from medical staff./.
See more
Vietnam, Australia partner to advance cutting-edge RNA biomedical technology
The two sides aim to pursue joint investment, research, scientific publications, and the development of advanced biomedical products, leveraging the strengths of both research institutes and the two countries.
Pre-hospital emergency care system to be launched nationwide
From 2027, the national pre-hospital emergency management platform will be put into operation, connecting data with the 113, 114 and 115 emergency call systems to facilitate rapid emergency dispatch and improve public access to emergency services.
Foreign patients travel to Vietnam for robotic cancer surgery at one-tenth of US costs
With robot-assisted surgery costing tens of thousands of dollars in the US and Singapore, a growing number of international patients are traveling to Vietnam for robotic cancer surgery, including procedures for prostate, gynecological and gastrointestinal cancers, using the US made da Vinci Xi system at costs starting from just 3,000 USD.
Nearly 2 million Ho Chi Minh City residents receive free health check-ups
According to the municipal Department of Health, while several localities have achieved coverage rates of more than 60%, some others still have rates below 5%, highlighting considerable disparities in programme implementation.
Vietnam, China open joint health hubs in border disease fight
Officials cut the ribbon on a Vietnam–China cross-border training and exchange centre for infectious disease control, along with a Guangxi facility dedicated to disease surveillance and prevention training.
Multipolar healthcare system to bring medical services closer to residents
Under the traditional model, patients must come to specialists. Under the multipolar model, specialist expertise will be brought closer to where people live.
Vietnam launches national action plan against breast and cervical cancer
Breast cancer is currently the most common cancer among Vietnamese women, with more than 24,560 new cases diagnosed each year and around 10,000 deaths annually.
Vietnamese, Taiwanese experts discuss multimodal weight management
Experts emphasised that obesity treatment requires multidisciplinary coordination, targeting not only weight loss but also comprehensive health management.
Two-way remote robotic surgery network marks breakthrough in Vietnam’s healthcare
The network links Vinmec Smart City Hospital in Hanoi and Vinmec Can Tho Hospital. Unlike previous standalone remote robotic procedures, the new model allows either establishment to take turns serving as the command centre, creating an interconnected surgical network rather than relying on a single control hub.
Ho Chi Minh City develops integrated multi-tier healthcare system
Under the new model, healthcare is organised into interconnected levels based on people's needs rather than administrative boundaries. Patients can move seamlessly between levels while their electronic health records and treatment information remain connected through digital platforms, referral systems, telemedicine, electronic medical records, and integrated health databases.
Draft policy encourages people to prepare for old age from middle age
A draft circular guiding the implementation of the National Target Programme on Health Care, Population and Development (2026-2035) marks a shift from focusing solely on elderly care to encouraging healthy and independent ageing through early preparation. It covers healthy lifestyles, regular health check-ups, financial planning, suitable employment and home-based elderly care skills.
Rare dual-gene lung cancer case responds well to precision treatment in Da Nang
The Da Nang Oncology Hospital has successfully treated a patient with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) carrying both EGFR and ALK gene mutations simultaneously – an exceptionally rare condition in both medical literature and clinical practice.
Efforts made to create breakthroughs in primary health care, workforce development
Aiming to ensure all citizens can access quality healthcare close to home, detect diseases earlier and improve quality of life amid rapid population aging, cities and provinces are adopting reforms to enhance healthcare capacity.
Health insurance covers 94.4 million medical visits in H1
Health insurance covered around 94.4 million patient visits during the January-June period, similar to the same period last year. Inpatient treatment accounted for 10.3% of total cases, slightly higher than in 2025.
Vietnam, Laos deepen military medical cooperation
Since 1954, Vietnam Military Medical University has trained 687 Lao military medical personnel, including 322 doctors, 67 master's degree holders, 10 doctorate holders, and dozens of specialist physicians, alongside hundreds of pharmacists and medical technicians.
Vietnam reaches new milestone in reconstructive transplant surgery
As the first operation of its kind in Vietnam, the hospital spent months developing treatment protocols, studying international experience and assembling a multidisciplinary team that included experts in transplantation, andrology, microsurgery, anaesthesia, immunology and pathology.
National strategy aims to build advanced medical ecosystem
Vietnam's adjusted healthcare network master plan for 2021–2030, with a vision to 2050, also outlines a regional structure covering the country's six socio-economic regions. It envisages 17 provincial general hospitals serving regional functions, at least one highly specialised hospital in each region, and at least one advanced medical facility in every province and city.
First multi-organ retrieval at Bai Chay hospital gives five patients new lease of life
With the successful completion of its first multi-organ retrieval, Bai Chay hospital has become the third medical facility in Quang Ninh to perform the highly complex procedure in accordance with the national protocol. The achievement also highlights the profound humanitarian value of organ donation in society
Vietnam, Bulgaria forge closer medical ties
The visit's highlight was the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Hanoi Medical University and Sofia Medical University, creating a long-term framework for academic exchanges, scientific research and institutional cooperation between the two countries' leading medical schools.
Ho Chi Minh City-based hospitals launch health checkups for policy beneficiaries
Hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City are providing free health checkups, medicines and counselling services for policy beneficiary families, people who rendered service to the nation and residents in former revolutionary bases to commemorate the 79th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs' Day (July 27, 1947–2026).