Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam’s grassroots healthcare system is failing to win public trust, resulting in overcrowding at provincial-level hospitals and hampering efforts to ensure universal health coverage in the country. The Health Ministry and the World Health Organisation (WHO) discussed the problem in Hà Nội on Tuesday at their first meeting to discuss improving primary healthcare to gain universal health coverage (UHC). UHC means ensuring that all people can access essential quality health services without facing financial hardship. Phan Lê Thu Hằng, deputy general director of the planning and finance department under the health ministry, said that grassroots healthcare had always been the foundation for implementing primary healthcare nationwide. Việt Nam’s grassroots level healthcare network, including village, communal/ward/townlet and district/town health facilities, is closest to patients. These small, … [Read more...] about Local health station struggles burden nat’l system
Health facility institute
Health agencies distribute rabies vaccine to curb shortage
The National Tropical Disease Hospital admitted several cases of rabies in recent months, medical workers could not save their lives because they had not vaccinated after being bitten by mad dogs and cats. Since the beginning of the year, there has been an escalation of deaths due to rabies. Fretting that more people will succumb to the disease because the hot weather is conducive to rabies virus development, the health sector has planned to add more vaccine against rabies in several localities that have reported the shortage of the vaccine. Lately, the National Tropical Disease Hospital has admitted a 40 year old woman from the northern province of Bac Giang had rabies after she was bitten by a dog one month before. Doctors’ efforts to save her were unrewarded at last. The Pasteur Institute and the Tropical Disease Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City announced a crowd of people flock to the hospital for vaccination against rabies. Since the beginning of the year, the hospital … [Read more...] about Health agencies distribute rabies vaccine to curb shortage
Hypertension on-the-rise poses serious health risks
VNA Infographic (Source: Vietnam Cardiology and Heart Association) Hanoi (VNA) - The number of people who die of hypertension each year in Vietnam is 10 times higher than the number of victims killed by traffic accidents, a cardiovascular specialist said at a recent workshop. According to Professor Do Doan Loi, former head of National Cardiovascular Institute, nearly 21 million Vietnamese people are suffering from hypertension. High blood pressure is a leading cause of death in the world, killing 7 million people every year, he said. The increasing number of hypertension patients has shown in a survey conducted by the National Cardiovascular Institute in eight provinces from 2002 to 2015. More than 16 percent of surveyed adults had high blood pressure in 2002, compared with 28.5 percent in 2008. This figure surged to 47.3 percent in 2015, which poses great risks, according to Professor Loi. He warned that besides the consequences of kidney failure and heart attack, high … [Read more...] about Hypertension on-the-rise poses serious health risks
HCMC tightens health insurance regulations
To ensure the planned spending, the city’s Social Insurance Agency will set up the cost estimate in all hospitals, advance, payment a well as tighten control of medical insurance spending for the year. For 2017, vice director of Social Insurance Agency Luu Thi Thanh Huyen said that the agency has signed medical insurance treatment contracts with 70 public infirmaries, 73 private facilities, 15 medical institutions of companies, and 145 medical centers in districts and communes. With nearly 6.6 million of medical insurance cards, HCMC planned to spend VND14,263 billion; however, in reality, it paid VND 16.372 billion. The cause of over-spending is many inpatients and improper prescription of expensive drug in treatment. Additionally, many patients go to different hospitals for treatment many times but they did not pay for tests ad medicine charges; according the vice director said that with the estimation of nearly VND10 trillion for the year, medical facilities must tighten … [Read more...] about HCMC tightens health insurance regulations
Dangerous ‘Facebook health experts’ win over ‘Dr. Google’ in Vietnam
While Vietnamese often self-diagnose by researching symptoms online, a practice known as asking ‘Dr Google,’ ‘Facebook health experts’ are slowly gaining a strong following in the shady world of medical misinformation. These so-called “experts” deal in bizarre-sounding medical tips with no scientific backing, sometimes leaving those who take their advice considerably worse for wear. While Google can be hit-or-miss when it comes to offering sound medical advice, unsubstantiated medical information on Facebook has mostly proven to be dangerously misguiding. Despite the life-threatening perils, the ‘community’ of Vietnamese people who religiously believe in information, tips, and methods on healthcare and childcare provided by ‘Facebook health experts’ is growing larger and larger by the day. For instance, followers of the ‘natural childbirth’ trend circulating on social media choose to give birth at home instead of … [Read more...] about Dangerous ‘Facebook health experts’ win over ‘Dr. Google’ in Vietnam
Remote areas lack mental health services: study
Mental health services have to be improved for the healthy development of children. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Mental health and psychosocial problems are widespread and increasing in Vietnam, particularly among children and young people. Despite some progress, mental health services in Viet Nam remain largely inadequate, according to a new study released on February 6 by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) and the Overseas Development Institute (ODI). The lack of mental health services is particularly acute in remote province. There, services are insufficient to prevent suicide and treat mental health disorders, which are often at the heart of suicidal ideation and attempts, according to the study of mental health and psychosocial wellbeing among children and young people in selected provinces and cities in Vietnam. Friday Nwaigwe, chief of the Child Survival and … [Read more...] about Remote areas lack mental health services: study
Health sector works to enhance herbal medicine-based treatment
Processing herbal medicine (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - The Ministry of Health will work to increase medical examinations and treatment using herbal medicine. According to the ministry, 57 out of 63 localities have hospitals using herbal medicine in treatment. The treatment with herbal medicine has gradually risen over the years, with the method used in 4.1 percent, 11.7 percent and 13.4 percent of total cases in central, provincial and district levels, respectively. In 2017, the sector continued developing and completing a legal framework on traditional medicine in terms of herbal medicine processing methods, list of herbal materials, among others. Local herbal materials were developed to ensure supply for traditional medicine institutions while increasing supervisions to improve the quality of herbal materials at health care facilities and shops. The Ministry inspected examinations and treatment at traditional medicine hospitals in Lang Son, Bac Giang, Hoa Binh provinces, … [Read more...] about Health sector works to enhance herbal medicine-based treatment
Ministry of Health raises concerns over alcohol poisoning
The Ministry of Health has raised concerns over the grave consequences of alcohol poisoning because of fake spirits during Tet holiday. A doctor treats a poisoning case at Bach Mai HospitalVietnam has over 328 major alcohol manufacturing facilities producing 360 million litres and 320 small facilities producing over 250 million litres each year."Stomach cancer, strokes and even mental illnesses can be caused by alcohol. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 5-6% of the patients are ill because of alcohol and this rate is increasing."Tien also warned the consumers to only use spirits with clear origins and the manufacturers to be responsible so as not to cause any regrettable deaths. Police and related agencies were asked to carry out more inspection and publicly named violating facilities.Dtinews … [Read more...] about Ministry of Health raises concerns over alcohol poisoning
Health facilities call for blood donations for Tet
Students donate blood in HCM City. (Source: VNA) HCM City (VNA) - Ho Chi Minh City’s Blood Bank, Blood Donation Centre and hospitals have organised blood donation programmes throughout the city for Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday to prepare for a possible shortage as more accidents occur during the period. Donations are expected to decline during the period as students, who are the main blood donors, and other residents who return to their hometowns during Tet will not be available. Dr Tran Thi Nhu To, head of the Blood Donation Centre of HCM City, told Vietnam News Agency that several health facilities in the city lacked blood for treatment but there was not a severe shortage of blood last year. The city’s Blood Bank, which is in charge of supply and regulating units of blood for all hospitals in the city, needs more blood for storage, according to To. The city has called on state officials and students to donate blood until February 13, To said. … [Read more...] about Health facilities call for blood donations for Tet
Fight against corruption in the health sector
Anyone found bribing doctors will be fined VND30 million (USD1,419), according to the government’s newly-issued decree, which took effect December 31.Giving "envelopes" to doctors a punishable offence Decree 176 stipulates fines in the health sector concerning the violations of regulations on health providers and equipment, medication, cosmetics and insurance. The highest fine for individuals is VND100 million (USD4,731) and VND200 million (USD9,462) for organisations. The regulation also stipulates that anyone who is found giving, receiving or facilitating bribes in the healthcare process will be fined between VND20 million and VND30 million (USD946.3-USD1,419). Previously, in response to the ineffectiveness of the movement “Say no to bribes”, the Minister of Health, Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, said it is necessary to make a distinction in the difference between giving envelops to doctors before and after medical treatment. “Patients are in need of … [Read more...] about Fight against corruption in the health sector