Delegates at the meeting

Deputy Director General of Viet Nam Social Security Le Hung Son made the statement at the meeting with the branches on August 16 in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong.

The meeting aims to remove difficulties in increasing participants of social and health insurance and obstacles in implementing policies on medical examination and treatment, covered by the health insurance fund.

Son said the solutions should be based on the real situation in each locality to ensure the maximum recovery of the debts.

Nguyen Van Huan, director of Viet Nam Social Security’s branch in Tay Ninh Province, delivers a speech at the meeting

Data from the meeting revealed that currently, the number of people participating in compulsory and voluntary social insurance in the localities are still quite far from the targets this year.

For example, to reach the targets, Dak Lak Province needs to mobilise an additional 84,946 people to participate in health insurance; an additional 11,888 to participate in voluntary social insurance; and an additional 5,321 to participate in compulsory social insurance.

Vu Manh Chu, director of Viet Nam Social Security’s branch in Kon Tum Province, speaks at the meeting

In the meantime, Vu Manh Chu, director of the branch in Kon Tum Province, said that as of July 31, 2022, there are about 21,066 people that have not yet rejoined health insurance in the province.

They have low income so that they cannot afford to buy health insurance cards, he said.

Besides, a large number of people go to other provinces to earn a living and they have joined in health insurance in these provinces, he said.

In the first seven months of this year, 2,815 people have participated in voluntary social insurance, however, 2,698 others have stopped their contracts.

Pham Tuan Cuong, deputy director of Inspectorate Department, at the meeting

Lack of medicines, medical supplies

Also at the meeting, representatives of the seven branches discussed the shortage of medical supplies and the potential shortage of medicines.  

Do Ngoc Tho, director of the Department of Social Insurance Implementation, at the meeting

Vo Thi Ai Lieu, director of the branch in Dak Lak Province said the main problem at the Central Highlands’ General Hospital is the high demand for medical supplies.

The shortage of medical equipment occurred in the hospital sometimes, patients had to provide some types of medical equipment such as gloves, gauze bandages, blood transfusion lines and drainage tubes, she said.

Some chemicals that were used in conducting tests are not available, so the hospital has to transfer samples to another medical facility, she said.

The branch has worked with the hospital and the local health department many times but the situation has not been fixed, she said.

Vo Thi Ai Lieu, director of the Viet Nam Social Security’s branch in Dak Lak Province, at the meeting

The provincial People's Committee, the health department and the hospital also had many meetings to remove problems but failed due to many legal obstacles, she said.

In Dak Nong Province, the shortage of medical supplies has only occurred in some units.

Then medical facilities have asked the local health department to buy bidding packages under VND100 million (US$4,269) to promptly solve the shortage of medical equipment.

Deputy Director General of Viet Nam Social Security Le Hung Son chairs the meeting

Although there is currently no locality lacking health-insurance medicines, Son still asked the branches to quickly advise the local administration to prepare new bidding for medicines.

Because if the bidding for medicines is not organised in a timely manner, there is a potential risk of shortage of medicines, covered by the health insurance fund, after 2022, he said.

Although the social security agency does not participate in bidding for medical supplies, it only participates in bidding for medicines, covered by the health insurance fund, head of the branches in the localities should consult local authorities about issues relating to bidding for medical supplies to fix the shortage, the agency’s Department of Health Insurance Implementation recommended./.