HCM CITY — The HCM City health sector plans to establish a health database for over 1.7 million students in the city to better identify and address school-related illnesses.

Tăng Chí Thượng, director of the city’s Department of Health, said that the initiative is part of the Smart Health Project for 2021-2025, with a vision to 2030, and it aims to create a comprehensive health status database. 

The Department of Health has worked with the Department of Education to standardise health examination forms used in schools, and has developed guidelines for health check teams.

Starting from the 2024-2025 academic year, all healthcare facilities must use the standardised examination forms, and results will be entered into a Community Health Management System. 

To support this initiative, the department will hold three training sessions for healthcare personnel this month, featuring expert lecturers from various hospitals. 

Topics will include assessment methodologies and the use of the new health examination forms.

A list of accredited facilities for student health examinations will be published on the health sector’s electronic portal. 

Nearly 3,000 healthcare workers and over 500 educational institutions have already registered for the training. 

Regular health examinations will be conducted for students from preschool to junior high, including nutritional assessments.

Recently, the city has also provided free health assessments for over one million elderly individuals, digitising the results for better healthcare management.

Grassroots healthcare

Speaking at a recent meeting, Phan Văn Mãi, chairman of the People’s Committee, said the city is committed to investing in grassroots healthcare with a focus on the mental and physical well-being of residents.

Rapid urbanisation has substantially affected health, particularly among the youth, he said.

The city will implement a comprehensive programme addressing the health needs of both young individuals and the elderly, he added.

In addition, the city is seeking increased investments in the healthcare sector to establish itself as a medical hub within the ASEAN region.

By 2025, the city will initiate a total of 116 healthcare projects with an investment exceeding VNĐ23 trillion ($925 million), with projections for 150 projects and over VNĐ52 trillion ($2.1 billion) in total investment by 2030.