Nearly 4 million people in Ho Chi Minh City have received free health checks and an electronic health book has been created, while more than 10 million people do not have data.
"The city's population is 14 million people but only nearly 4 million people have free health checks, which is low," Mr. Huynh Thanh Nhan, Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Council, said at the August socio-economic meeting, on the morning of September 4.
Health check-up for all people is a big plan of Ho Chi Minh City, the goal is that 100% of people will have a free health check-up at least once a year and the data will form an electronic health record. People get free health checks at any medical facility in the area that is suitable for travel or work conditions, regardless of place of residence.
Ho Chi Minh City is the first locality in the country to implement this plan. To date, in 168 wards, communes, and special zones, there are 80 localities achieving an examination rate of 30% or more; Of which 24 localities reached over 50% and 10 localities exceeded 60%. Some localities have high rates such as Thanh An commune reaching 96.5%, Phuoc Thang ward 93.5%.
18 wards and communes have a health check-up rate of less than 20%. Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health Tang Chi Thuong assessed: "The plan for universal health examination is entering a more difficult phase because a part of people do not want to be examined even though it is free."
The head of the city's health sector did not clearly explain why some people did not want to be examined, but said "the group of workers at the enterprise is a big challenge". Currently, the rate of this group participating in health checks is still low, only about 10%. Therefore, the Department of Health proposed that the city direct industrial parks, export processing zones and businesses to coordinate in organizing periodic examinations for workers. Reality shows that where local authorities are interested in mobilizing the entire political system, coordinating well with the health sector and organizing flexible examinations, progress is clearly higher.
At the meeting, Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Duoc said the city still persists in the goal of 100% of people receiving free health checks because "this is a humanitarian program". Therefore, the health sector and communes, wards and special zones need to actively mobilize people to participate and organize well the proposed plan.
To increase the rate of people having health check-ups, in the coming time the health sector will focus on three main groups. For people in the community, 168 wards, communes and special zones continue to mobilize the political system to mobilize people, prioritizing 18 localities with low examination rates.
For students, the health sector coordinates with the education sector to organize examinations at the beginning of the school year. It is estimated that about 3 million students will receive school health checks.
Officials, civil servants, public employees and workers are recommended to carry out periodic health checks as soon as possible.
In addition, the health sector coordinates with departments and branches to separate population groups that have participated in health checks according to other programs, such as workplaces, to accurately determine the number of people who have received health checks.
The goal of the program is to change habits from "checking up when sick" to proactively preventing diseases and detecting health risks early. Each age group has its own examination package, focusing on early detection of disease risks, continuous health management and updating results into electronic health records.
