Ministry of Health's response to the petition regarding overload condition at central-level hospitals in Vietnam

Ministry of Health's response to the petition regarding overload condition at central-level hospitals in Vietnam (Internet image)

Ministry of Health's response to the petition regarding overload condition at central-level hospitals in Vietnam

Voters of Hanoi City before the 7th Session of the 15th National Assembly reflected that currently, top-tier hospitals are all overloaded, with situations where patients suffering from severe diseases have to be treated outside of working hours, affecting the patients. They recommend attention be given to the planning and investment in technical infrastructure for the healthcare sector to address these inadequacies.

In Official Dispatch 4717/BYT-VPB1 dated August 13, 2024, sent to the Delegation of the National Assembly of Hanoi City, the Ministry of Health of Vietnam stated that to gradually reduce hospital overload, especially in the areas of outpatient and inpatient treatment, striving to prevent patients from having to share beds in hospitals, the Ministry of Health has submitted to the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam for the issuance of documents and the implementation of several Schemes such as:

(1) Satellite hospitals help the specialist teams from the nuclear hospitals to transfer techniques to lower-tier satellite hospitals;

(2) Dispatching professional staff on a rotational basis from central hospitals, end-stage hospitals of Hanoi City, and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam to support commune, ward, and commune-level town health stations to improve the quality of healthcare during the period 2018 - 2020;

(3) Strengthening training, transferring techniques, and enhancing professional capabilities at the commune and ward levels from 2019 - 2025 with the aim of improving specialized quality at the commune and ward health levels, laying the groundwork for organizing a three-tier healthcare service delivery system.

The healthcare sector nationwide has strived to implement these basic solutions as well as to build, renovate, and expand many departments, rooms, and hospitals, gradually reducing overload in key specialties and other general specialties, yielding the following notable results:

- The number of hospitals nationwide has increased by more than 16% from 1,415 hospitals in 2014 to 1,643 hospitals as of 2023.

- The total number of registered hospital beds in 2022 was 409,244 beds, an increase of over 41% compared to 2014, which was 288,496 beds.

- The utilization rate of registered hospital beds nationwide in 2022 was 95.5%; in which, the utilization rate of central hospitals has decreased from 100% in 2014 to 80% in 2022; meanwhile, the utilization rate of provincial hospitals increased from 92% in 2014 to 129% in 2022.

Thus, with many solutions already and being implemented, the overload at central hospitals has been basically addressed; however, there remains an overload at provincial and city hospitals.

In the coming time, the Ministry of Health will continue to implement synchronous solutions, strengthen training, transfer techniques, invest in infrastructure, and carry out the Satellite Hospital Scheme until 2030 with the goal of comprehensively addressing hospital overload at central hospitals, especially in overloaded specialties during the year and peak periods. At the same time, enhance professional capabilities of commune and ward health care, implement solutions and provide technical support; cooperate with the People's Committees of provinces and cities directly under the Central Government to reduce overload at provincial and city hospitals.

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