Statistics show that the percentage of students signing up for health insurance scheme has increased year after year.

The number of students applying for health insurance increased from about 10.7 million, accounting for 70 per cent of total number of students nationwide, in the 2009-10 school year to about 15.9 million in 2016, which equals 92.5 per cent.

The figure increased to more than 16 million (93 per cent) in 2017 and more than 17 million (95.3 per cent) in the 2018-19 school year.

Illustrative Photo

According to the law, signing up for health insurance is compulsory for all Vietnamese citizens. This has ensured healthcare rights for the public, which is mentioned in the Constitution.

Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Thi Nghia said as health insurance rights have been expanded and healthcare quality has been improved, students are enjoying health insurance benefits.

The health insurance fund has helped treat student patients who suffer incurable or chronic diseases, for example, with dialysis to treat kidney failure; cancer treatment; or heart surgery with payments of up to billions of đồng per case.

Students have big advantages in benefiting from healthcare services covered by the health insurance fund.

Although there have not been any regulations on preventive healthcare spending, students can have health check-ups at schools covered by the health insurance fund’s allocation for school healthcare. This includes the allocation for regular health check-ups and health categories for students at the beginning of the academic year and health, education and disease prevention consultations, she said.

When the public have not had health check-ups regularly to diagnose diseases, regular healthcare for students is increasingly important.

The health insurance scheme ensures safety for students themselves and helps their parents and family feel secure if students have accidents, suffer from injuries or are infected with diseases. Schools also feel secure in students’ health management and have conditions and opportunities to improve teaching quality.

The health insurance scheme for students also represents the responsibility of ensuring health of students themselves, of the community and society as a whole.

By understanding the significance of health insurance, students will learn how to share and empathise with those who face health risks. They might be their friends or relatives.

This helps shape the personality of students – the young generation who will lead the nation’s future. They will be a generation who take responsibility for not only themselves but also for the community and society, Nghĩa said.

Highly appreciating the expanding coverage of students’ health insurance, Bui Sy Loi, vice chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee of Social Affairs, said universal coverage of students’ health insurance not only brings benefits for students but also presents personal responsibilities with the community and society and helps the young generation develop their ideas and personality./.