Guidance on Implementing the Task of Protecting and Caring for the Health of Officials in Provinces and Centrally-Managed Cities Applicable from December 12, 2023
Guidelines for Implementing Duties of Protecting and Caring for the Health of Provincial and Municipal Officials Directly under the Central Government Applicable from December 12, 2023?
On October 25, 2023, the Minister of Health issued Circular 18/2023/TT-BYT, guiding the implementation of duties of protecting and caring for the health of provincial and municipal officials directly under the Central Government.
Article 2 of Circular 18/2023/TT-BYT stipulates the tasks of protecting and caring for the health of officials as follows:
(1) Advising on the work of protecting and caring for the health of officials
- Develop programs, projects, plans, orientations, and tasks for protecting and caring for the health of officials, submit for feedback to the Committee for Protection and Care of Officials’ Health at the provincial and municipal levels, present to the competent authority for review and approval, and implement according to regulations and decentralization;
- Guide and inspect the work of protecting and caring for the health of officials in districts, suburban districts, district-level townships, provincial cities, and municipalities under the Central Government;
- Coordinate in advising and proposing policies on medical examination and treatment for managed officials; policies for medical staff performing tasks related to the protection and care of officials' health in the locality;
- Summarize, evaluate, and report on the implementation of tasks related to protecting and caring for officials' health in the locality according to regulations.
(2) Organizing the implementation of tasks related to protection and care for officials’ health
- Health management: Create health monitoring records and manage the health of officials according to designated regulations and decentralization; cooperate with the Provincial Council for Protection and Care of Officials’ Health in classifying the health of managed officials;
- Receive for medical examination, emergency care, outpatient and inpatient treatment, referral according to regulations; organize regular health checks; promptly handle chronic diseases during outpatient treatment; provide home or office visits, consultations, and health follow-ups for managed officials;
- Perform and coordinate health classification examinations before appointments, reappointments, and candidature introductions for officials managed by the Provincial Standing Committee and other entities as stipulated by the Provincial Standing Committee;
- Conduct communication, provide information and consultation on health; guide on disease prevention, prevention of infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, vaccines, and health enhancement for managed officials;
- Lead and cooperate with relevant agencies and units to build and organize health security plans, handle emergency situations for managed officials attending conferences, events, or working in the locality;
- Coordinate with relevant agencies to implement policies and programs for protecting and caring for officials' health; organize recuperative treatment according to suitability and specific conditions of each locality.
(3) Managing and mobilizing resources
- Create and manage a list of highly experienced and specialized medical personnel in local medical activities; participate in the professional council for consultations and emergency responses when necessary;
- Manage resources in terms of personnel, facilities, finances, and assets to ensure the tasks of protecting and caring for officials' health according to suitability and decentralization;
- Mobilize or participate in mobilizing resources to resolve emergency situations for Communist Party, State Leadership, and officials when working locally, according to decentralization.
(4) Coordination in protecting and caring for the health of directors, bureaus, institutes, and equivalents of Central Government agencies; senior officials managed by the Central Government, both active and retired, in the locality.
(5) Perform other duties as assigned by competent authorities.
Guidelines for Implementing Duties of Protecting and Caring for the Health of Provincial and Municipal Officials Directly under the Central Government Applicable from December 12, 2023?
Which senior officials receive protection and health care?
Subsection 1, Section 1 of Regulation 121-QD/TW in 2018 stipulates that senior officials receive protection and health care (including both incumbents and former officials):
- General Secretary, President, Chairman of the National Assembly, Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam.
- Members of the Political Bureau.
- Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Party.
- Vice President, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly, Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, General of the armed forces.
- Members of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, heads of party committees, heads of political-social organizations, ministers, provincial party secretaries, municipal party secretaries, and equivalent positions; lieutenant generals of the armed forces.
- Deputy heads of party committees, political-social organizations, deputy ministers, deputy provincial party secretaries, deputy municipal party secretaries, chairmen of the Provincial, or Municipal People's Councils; chairmen of the Provincial, or Municipal People's Committees and equivalent positions.
Which authority must give clear indications for senior officials to undergo health examinations abroad?
Subsection 1, Section 2 of Regulation 121-QD/TW in 2018 stipulates the timing for comprehensive periodic health examinations as follows:
TIMING, REGIME, AND CONTENT OF COMPREHENSIVE PERIODIC HEALTH EXAMINATIONS
1- Timing for comprehensive periodic health examinations
- Every 6 months, comprehensive health examinations will be conducted for the officials mentioned in Point 1, Section I. In case of medical conditions, examinations will be conducted as per the instructions of the Specialist Council for Officials’ Health Protection.
- Implement policies for comprehensive health examinations and health classification conclusions before appointing or reappointing leadership and management positions and nominating candidates for positions managed by the Political Bureau, Secretariat.
- In cases where officials have medical conditions that necessitate health examinations abroad, clear indications must be provided by the Specialist Council for Officials’ Health Protection, and subsequently, the Central Committee for Protection and Care for Officials’ Health. Approval must be sought from the Standing Committee of the Secretariat or the Secretariat itself, according to Decision No. 257-QD/TW dated September 16, 2014, by the Secretariat of Session XI on the process of resolving procedures for medical examinations and treatment abroad for officials managed by the Central Government.
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Thus, if senior officials have medical conditions that require health examinations abroad, clear indications must be provided by:
- Specialist Council for Officials’ Health Protection;
- Central Committee for Protection and Care of Officials’ Health and must report and seek advice from the Standing Committee of the Secretariat or the Secretariat.
Note: Circular 18/2023/TT-BYT is effective from December 12, 2023.
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