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The Vietnamese laws state that signing up for health insurance is compulsory for all Vietnamese citizens. It ensures people’s right to access healthcare services, which is stated in the Constitution. The regulation on compulsory health insurance for pupils and students has a profound meaning.

According to Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Huu Do, taking care of students’ health is the right policy of the Party and the State. The Ministry of Education and Training attaches importance to the health insurance scheme for pupils and students because it contributes to the development of a comprehensive education. Therefore, the education ministry, the Ministry of Health and the Vietnam Social Security (VSS) have issued a number of legal documents and guidance on compulsory health insurance for pupils and students.

Pupils and students have major benefits in accessing healthcare services covered by the health insurance fund. Although the current Law on Health Insurance does not regulate spending on preventive medicine, the pupils and students still benefit from healthcare at the school sourced from the health insurance fund, including periodic health check-ups at the beginning of a school year, consultations on education, healthcare and sickness prevention. When people do not have a habit of periodic health check-ups to detect diseases, regular medical care for pupils and students when they enter school has a very important meaning.

From the social aspect, in case students are sick or suffer accidents or injuries, students and their families will feel more secure if students participate in the health insurance scheme.

Schools also feel secure in managing the health of students, having more opportunities and more conditions to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Participating in health insurance is the students’ responsibility to protect their health and demonstrates their responsibility towards the community and society.

Participating in and understanding the true meaning of the health insurance scheme, pupils and students will learn how to share and empathise with those facing health risks around them. It helps shape a good personality of the young generation, the future owners of the country: A generation knows how to be responsible for not only themselves but also for the community and society.

Bui Sy Loi, deputy head of the National Assembly’s Committee of Social Affairs, spoke highly of the acceleration of health insurance coverage for pupils and students.

The full coverage of health insurance for all pupils and students not only benefits every individual but also demonstrates their responsibility for the community and society.

According to VSS deputy general director Tran Dinh Lieu, the agency has ensured benefits of pupils and students when they have health check-ups and treatment and made administrative reforms for more simple and convenient process to facilitate pupils and students joining the health insurance programme.

Pupils and students who have social security codes are not required to fill in a form if they want to apply for health insurance but only need to pay fees following regulations.

For those who do not have social security codes, the social security agency will update information on the database and issue new health insurance cards.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of social and economic life. The implementation of the health insurance scheme for pupils and students in the 2020-21 school year will face a lot of obstacles, Lieu said, urging local social security agencies to be aware of the important role of health insurance for pupils and students, which is to create a driving force for the development of health insurance coverage expansion in 2020 and to provide a sustainable foundation for the coming years.

He also called on agencies to take measures to raise awareness of managers and parents about the responsibility and benefits of participating in the health insurance scheme./.