On August 21, PM Pham Minh Chinh chaired the Conference to Improve People's Health Care; proactively adapting flexibly, contributing to quick recovery and sustainable development.

PM Pham Minh Chinh is speaking at the conference. (VGP)

Regarding some tasks and solutions in mind in the coming time, PM basically consented with the report and various opinions expressed by the attendants of the meeting, the comments of DPM Vu Duc Dam and noted some additional contents as follows.

Firstly, continue to promote the core role, together with ministries, branches and localities to continue closely following the situation of the COVID-19 epidemic; synchronously and effectively implement the program on COVID-19 prevention and control and health-related contents in the recovery and development program according to the Party's guidelines, the Resolutions of the National Assembly and the Government; be proactive and ready for any situation, without letting the epidemic break out again. Raise awareness about vaccination requirements, and focus on speeding up safe, scientific and effective vaccination. Continue to effectively deploy three pillars of anti-epidemic: testing, isolation, and treatment; strictly implement 2K+ vaccines, medicines + treatment + technology + people's awareness + other measures.

Secondly, the Ministry of Health, directly the Acting Minister, shall focus on leading and directing the building of the Party Committee of the Ministry of Health and the Party organization of the entire health sector to be truly clean and strong, improving leadership capacity and fighting strength of party organizations and members. Promote the learning of Ho Chi Minh's moral example and style in association with the implementation of political tasks of agencies and units.

Thirdly, urgently review, research, and promptly complete the system of health care institutions and policies for both the immediate and long term; prioritize investing more resources and time for this activity. In the immediate future, focus on preliminarily reviewing and evaluating the results of 5 years of implementing Resolution No. 20-NQ/TW and Resolution No. 21-NQ/TW of the 12th term by the end of 2022.

Stick to reality, quickly detect arising problems that mechanisms and policies have not mentioned or ones that exist but have not been kept up with reality to provide appropriate and timely handling solutions according to competence or report to the competent authorities to handle.

The spirit is to promote decentralization of power to subordinates and medical facilities, coupled with reasonable resource allocation, capacity building of enforcement officers and strengthening inspection, supervision and force control. The Ministry of Health shall focus on performing state management tasks; quickly study, step by step assign a number of hospitals under the Ministry of Health to local management.

Fourthly, pay attention to, encourage and improve the treatment regime for the medical team.

- Continue to thoroughly grasp and timely institutionalize the view that "Medical profession is a special profession that needs to be selected, trained, employed and specially treated" as directed by the Central Committee and the Politburo. The Ministry of Health shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Home Affairs and relevant agencies in, researching and proposing salary and allowance regimes and policies for health workers, limiting absenteeism and job transfer; industry-specific preferential policies; policies to support trainees and students of health fields; policies on recognizing martyrs when sacrificing and taking appropriate and effective measures to protect medical staff while on duty.

- Ministries and branches, primarily the Ministry of Health, and People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities shall attach special importance to directing the preliminary review and evaluation of emulation and commendation of collectives, individuals and organizations with achievements and contributions to the prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic.

Fifthly, pay attention to the development of the health system, especially grassroots health care and preventive medicine combined with strong application of science and technology; focus on drastically implementing measures on definite handling of the shortage of drugs and medical equipment in hospitals. The Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, and the Ministry of Finance shall review and actively coordinate with relevant ministries and branches to create a mechanism for bidding for drugs and medical equipment to ensure transparency and feasibility, thereby creating peace of mind for officials performing public duties, avoiding fear of bidding and affecting people's health. The localities must point out the problems of the mechanism through implementation in practice, in which cases shall be handled according to each level's authority.

Sixthly, urgently review regulations on socialization, public-private cooperation, and development of private healthcare; remove difficulties and obstacles; speed up the implementation of investment projects to build the second base of Bach Mai Hospital and Viet Duc Hospital.

Soon complete the plan to implement the policy of accurately and fully calculating medical service prices; continue to implement the roadmap on health insurance coverage rate associated with reducing people's out-of-pocket spending (for many years, the index of out-of-pocket spending (OOP) on health in our country is high, according to reported data of over 40%).

Seventhly, continue to renew working style, administrative reform, and improve the effectiveness of state management. Strengthen decentralization, publicity, transparency and fight against corruption, waste and negativity. Continue to accelerate digital transformation, and application of information technology in health (telehealth, implementation of procedures in the network environment, connection of drug supply establishments, electronic prescriptions, electronic health records, cleaning vaccination data, etc.).

Eighthly, in the care and protection of people's health, the core is the health sector, but this is also the common responsibility of the whole political system. Ministries, branches and agencies need to strengthen close coordination with the Ministry of Health. In the immediate future, it is necessary to deal with urgent issues such as procurement, bidding, investment, and payment of medical expenses covered by health insurance, regimes and policies for officials and employees of the health sector; at the same time, coordinate to participate in the development of health institutions and policies.

Illustrative image (internet)

Ninthly, renew and improve the effectiveness of information and communication related to the protection, care and improvement of people's health. Actively propagate in the spirit of the good eliminating the evil, and positivity repelling negativity; affirming the efforts and basic achievements of the medical profession and the medical staff, reinforcing the image of "a doctor like a gentle mother". The Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Information and Communications, and the press agencies shall continue to closely coordinate to strengthen the proactive and timely provision of information and propaganda, especially the situation and measures to prevent and control the epidemic.

Tenthly, take advantage of our country's advantages in pharmaceutical materials, focus on research and development of the pharmaceutical industry, and apply biotechnology in domestic drug and vaccine production.

Eleventhly, promote international cooperation in human resource training, consult experiences, management, especially digital transformation, pharmaceutical industry development, etc.

Many recommendations at the conference are valid, stemming from practice and with great responsibility, requesting the Ministry of Health to synthesize, classify, research, expeditiously resolve and propose agencies to handle according to their assigned functions, tasks and powers; if they are beyond their competence, they shall report them to competent authorities for consideration and decision.

***The title of the article is set by the Editor Division of the VSS Portal./