Regime for medical care for foreign reformatory inmates in Vietnam from November 15, 2024

Regime for medical care for foreign reformatory inmates in Vietnam from November 15, 2024 (Image from the Internet)

On September 30, 2024, the Government of Vietnam issued Decree 118/2024/ND-CP guiding the Law on Execution of Criminal Judgments 2019.

Regime for medical care for foreign reformatory inmates in Vietnam from November 15, 2024

According to the provisions of Article 36 of Decree 118/2024/ND-CP, the regime for medical care for foreign reformatory inmates in Vietnam are as follows:

- Upon arrival at the reform school, reformatory inmates will undergo a health examination organized by the school's medical staff and have a health monitoring card established. During the period when reformatory inmates are undergoing judicial educational measures at the reform school, the school, based on specific conditions, will organize comprehensive health examinations for reformatory inmates, at least every six months. These exams will include: measuring height, weight, chest circumference, vital signs such as heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, comprehensive clinical examinations across specialties, and paraclinical tests as prescribed by doctors. The cost of these periodic health examinations for reformatory inmates is paid according to the fee schedule set by the Ministry of Health.

The reform school shall regularly implement measures to prevent diseases, perform drug detoxification, prevent infection, treat HIV/AIDS, and other infectious diseases for reformatory inmates. The health examination for reformatory inmates will depend on the conditions, duration of the educational measures, and specific situations of each reform school and will be recorded in their file to monitor their health. Regular medication costs for reformatory inmates shall be equivalent to 4 kg of plain rice per student per month.

- If a student is sick or injured and treated at the school's infirmary, and it is beyond the infirmary's treatment capacity, they will be transferred to another appropriate healthcare facility for treatment. The parents or guardians of the student will be informed and cooperate with the school in the care and treatment. If the treatment capability of the local healthcare facility is also exceeded, according to the instructions of the head of that healthcare facility, the principal of the reform school will decide on further treatment steps and report to the Criminal Enforcement Authority under the Ministry of Public Security. The diet, medication, and supplements for the student will be as prescribed by the healthcare facility.

- If a student's term of educational measures at the reform school ends while they are undergoing treatment at a specialist healthcare facility, the principal must issue a certificate of completion of judicial educational measures at the reform school.

- State-run healthcare facilities are responsible for cooperating with the reform schools in their locality to organize medical examinations and treatment for reformatory inmates; establish or designate separate zones or rooms for student medical examinations and treatment, and arrange appropriate monitoring areas for management staff according to the conditions of the healthcare facility.

- The costs of medical examinations mentioned in clauses 1, 2, and 4 of Article 36 Decree 118/2024/ND-CP are funded by the state budget, except in cases where relatives or legal representatives of the reformatory inmates voluntarily cover the treatment costs.

More details can be found in Decree 118/2024/ND-CP which comes into force in Vietnam from November 15, 2024.

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