Title: Are Individuals with Depression Exempt from Military Service from January 01, 2024? What Does the Military Service Medical Examination Include?
Are Individuals with Depression Exempt from Military Service from January 1, 2024?
Based on the provisions in Clause 1, Article 4 of Circular 105/2023/TT-BQP, the regulations are as follows:
Health Standards
1. Health Standards for Performing Military Service
a) General Standards
Must meet health standards of type 1, type 2, or type 3 as stipulated in Articles 5 and 6 of this Circular;
Do not enlist citizens who are addicted to drugs or drug precursors as stipulated in Decree No. 57/2022/ND-CP dated August 25, 2022, by the Government of Vietnam, which specifies the list of drugs and drug precursors.
b) Specific Standards: Certain specific health standards for selecting individuals to perform military service are determined by the Minister of National Defense.
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Within this context, health standards of type 1, type 2, and type 3 are determined through all criteria as stipulated. Specifically:
- Health type 1: All criteria are rated level 1 (Indicates very good health status);
- Health type 2: At least one criterion is rated level 2 (Indicates good health status);
- Health type 3: At least one criterion is rated level 3 (Indicates fair health status);
Based on Item 5, Section II, Appendix I issued together with Circular 105/2023/TT-BQP, additional diseases related to depression compared to the old regulations in Inter-Ministerial Circular 16/2016/TTLT-BYT-BQP are as follows:
(1) Depressive Disorders
- Mild: Level 4 - Indicates average health status (health type 4)
- Moderate: Level 5 - Indicates poor health status (health type 5)
- Severe: Level 6 - Indicates very poor health status (health type 6)
(2) Schizoaffective Disorders: Depression will be rated at level 6 (health type 6)
(3) Bipolar Disorder: Depression phase will be rated at level 6 (health type 6)
Thus, based on the above regulations, individuals diagnosed with depressive disorders classified from level 4, 5, or 6 are not eligible to perform military service in 2025.
Are Individuals with Depression Exempt from Military Service from January 1, 2024? (Image from the internet)
What are the Components of the Military Service Health Examination?
Pursuant to the provisions of Articles 7 and 8 of Circular 105/2023/TT-BQP, the military service health examination is conducted in two stages: Preliminary screening and detailed examination.
The health examination for military service is conducted in two stages with the following contents:
Stage 1: Preliminary Military Health Screening:
- The commune-level health station carries out the preliminary health examination for military service under the direction, guidance of professional expertise from the district health center or the district general hospital; supervised by the district military command board.
- Based on the plan for selecting and summoning citizens for enlistment by the district military service council, the commune military command board compiles a list and calls for preliminary screening for citizens within their managed area who are subject to the health exam for military service;
- Preliminary health examination includes the following contents:
+ Reviewing personal and family medical history;
+ Detecting cases that do not meet physical health requirements, deformities specified in Section I, Section II, Appendix I issued with this Circular; diseases that qualify for exemption from registration for military service specified in Section III, Appendix I issued with Circular 105/2023/TT-BQP.
Stage 2: Military Health Examination:
- The military health examination is conducted by the district-level military health examination council as stipulated in Clause 1, Article 40 of The Military Service Law of 2015, including:
- The council president is the director of the district health center or the director of the district general hospital;
- The vice president of the council is the deputy director in charge of professional expertise of the district health center or the deputy director of the district general hospital;
- The permanent member and secretary of the council is the administrative officer in charge of state management of health at the district level;
- Members include staff from various departments, units including: district health center, district general hospital (if any), district health authorities, military medical officers from the district military command board, and representatives from relevant units; if necessary, additional medical staff from the provincial level or military medical officers from the provincial military command headquarters may be called upon by the decision of the president of the provincial military service council;
- Members of the council must have the required components and specializations as stipulated in Clause 5 of this Article and must have a practicing certificate or a practice license appropriate to their assigned duties as per the law on medical examination and treatment.
- Creating a list of citizens to be examined;
- Announcing the time and place for the health examination (Issuing the order to undergo the health examination);
- Conducting the health examination with the following contents:
- Physical examination; clinical examination across various specialties: ophthalmology, otorhinolaryngology, dentistry and maxillofacial, internal medicine, neurology, psychiatry, surgery, dermatology, gynecology (for females);
- Paraclinical examination: Blood work; blood type (ABO); liver function tests (AST, ALT); kidney function tests (Urea, Creatinine); blood glucose levels; hepatitis B virus (HBsAg); hepatitis C virus (Anti-HCV); HIV; full urine analysis (10 parameters); abdominal ultrasound; electrocardiogram; chest X-ray; urine drug test. The council president may order additional tests as required for an accurate health conclusion.
The implementation comprises two stages: physical and clinical examination and paraclinical examination, including HIV and drug screening. If a citizen does not meet one of the health standards stipulated in Clause 1, Article 4 of Circular 105/2023/TT-BQP during the physical and clinical examination, the examining member must report to the council president for a decision to terminate the examination. Blood and urine tests; HIV and drug tests are only conducted on citizens who meet the health standards after the physical and clinical examination, ultrasound, electrocardiogram, and chest X-ray.
Conducting counseling and HIV testing as per the law on HIV/AIDS prevention for those who meet the health standards.
Thus, the military service health examination from January 1, 2024, will include the aforementioned contents and be conducted in two stages as follows:
- Stage 1: Preliminary screening at the commune health station.
- Stage 2: Military health examination at the district health center.
When is the Military Service Health Examination Conducted?
According to Clause 7, Article 8 of Circular 105/2023/TT-BQP, the military service health examination is conducted annually from November 1 to December 31. The Ministry of National Defense may adjust the schedule when necessary.
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