Hanoi (VNA) – The Politburo’s Resolution No. 72-NQ/TW, built upon the Party’s established policies for protecting, caring for, and improving people's health, represents a comprehensive and strategic framework that reflects the Party and State’s special attention to and drastic leadership toward the healthcare work in the new development era, Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long said at a national conference held in Hanoi on September 16.
According to Long, the resolution establishes concrete health targets for 2030, including increasing average life expectancy to 75.5 years with at least 68 years of healthy living. Children and adolescents aged 1-18 should grow an additional 1.5 centimetres in average height, while vaccination coverage for essential immunisation programmes must exceed 95%.
He stressed that universal health insurance coverage is targeted, with citizens entitled to free annual check-ups and electronic health records. By 2030, people will enjoy basic hospital fee waivers within the health insurance package. All communal level health stations will be upgraded with adequate facilities and staffing, with at least four to five doctors at each station by 2027. Additionally, the share of medical examinations and treatments under health insurance at the stations is expected to exceed 20%.
The resolution envisions that by 2045, Vietnam’s healthcare indicators will be comparable to those of developed countries, with average life expectancy exceeding 80 years, including healthy living years beyond 71 years. A modern, equal, effective, and sustainable healthcare system will be developed, meeting diverse healthcare needs.
Resolution No. 72 identifies six key groups of tasks and solutions, he said, calling for drastic shift in public health care mindset to raise public awareness of healthy and responsible lifestyle and building of a healthcare culture in the community, with April 7 (World Health Day) declared as the All-People Health Day.
It also emphasises consolidating healthcare institutions, strengthening preventive and grassroots health services, developing intensive medicine, promoting traditional medicine, and enhancing linkages among hospitals, research institutes, education facilities, and enterprises.
Another priority is to improve medical ethics and build a high-quality healthcare workforce to meet patients’ satisfaction and international integration requirements. At the same time, healthcare financing will be reformed, while healthcare insurance will be developed effectively and sustainably.
He underscored that breakthroughs in science – technology, innovation, and comprehensive digital transformation will be prioritised in the sector, ensuring self-sufficiency in vaccines, medicine, and medical equipment. Additionally, the private sector is encouraged to invest in the sector in accordance with the regulations.
According to the Deputy PM, ministries, sectors, and localities are requested to issue their implementation plans in November, while ministers, heads of central agencies, Secretaries of provincial/municipal Party Committees, Chairpersons of provincial/municipal People's Committees and leaders of Party Committees and administrations at all levels are responsible for drastically directing and supervising the process and regularly reporting the results.
The communications work on the resolution and the Government’s action plan must be stepped up, he stressed, adding timely rewards and discipline must be put in place.
The Deputy PM affirmed that the financial resources for medical check-ups and hospital fee exemptions have been taken into account and they are all feasible./.
