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More than 17 million schoolchildren and students nationwide have joined health insurance so far, accounting for 95.3 percent of the total, according to the Vietnam Social Security (VSS).

Deputy Director of the VSS Pham Luong Son said more parents have become aware of the necessity of buying health insurance for their children even when they have good health.

He said social insurance agencies spend nearly 1 trillion VND (43.4 million USD) every year for initial health care, which is mainly for students.

The health insurance fund has paid nearly 3 trillion VND for medical examination and treatment for students, including those suffering from incurable and chronic diseases such as kidney failure, cancer and cardiovascular issues, he added./.