Hospitals from the grassroots and central level have become less overcrowded, which is due in part to a 2011-2016 scheme pursued by the Ministry of Public Health.

Central-level hospitals have added over 4,800 beds, or 24.6 percent of the total, including Quang Nam general hospital in the central region with 600 beds and the Hanoi-based National Hospital of Endocrinology with 500 beds.

In 2014, the ministry submitted proposals to build second facilities of the Bach Mai, Cho Ray, Vietnam-Germany Friendship, and Ho Chi Minh City trauma orthopedic hospitals, which are major healthcare centres in capital Hanoi and southern metropolis Ho Chi Minh City.

In late 2014, work started on the construction of the second facilities of children’s hospital in Binh Chanh district – Ho Chi Minh City, and the Vietnam-Germany Friendship hospital and Bach Mai hospital in the northern province of Ha Nam with a total capacity of 3,000 beds.

Compared to 2012, when the scheme kick-started, the number of public hospitals has climbed to 115, offering as many as 25,700 beds. Up to 11 satellite hospitals located in the northern provinces of Thai Nguyen, Quang Ninh, Dien Bien, Ha Giang and Ninh Binh have reduced cases of patient transfer.

Under the ministry’s project 1816, provincial-level hospitals in 57 out of 63 cities and provinces sent 4,661 medical staff members to district health care facilities to conduct about 3,300 rounds of technology transfer and nearly 2,800 training courses for over 57,900 of their grassroots peers.

Medical stations in districts also assigned their staff to communal partners to re-train more than 64,700 health workers.

Beyond that, the family clinic model has also become popular, especially in Hanoi, the central province of Thua - Thien Hue and Ho Chi Minh City with 186 doctors, 186 nurses, 74 female midwives, and 201 care workers participating in.

During 2013, they conducted 41,084 medical check-ups and detected 102,588 cases of disease contraction.

Family clinics in 8 cities and provinces numbered 97, equipping themselves with amenities and conveniences at the service of patients.

Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien vowed to build on the past achievements and offer the best services to patients nationwide throughout 2015.-VNA