I would like to thank the Ministry of Health for organizing this important meeting on strengthening primary health care for attaining better health for all the Vietnamese people.
Over the past decades, the health of the Vietnamese people has continued to improve. Currently, the health outcomes in Viet Nam are comparable to those of some higher income countries. While the achievements in health are tangible, the country also faces emerging health challenges, arising from the quickly increasing non-communicable diseases coupled with the rapid ageing of the population.
Public confidence in the quality of primary-care health systems at the district level and below is not high, and as a result, health facilities at the provincial and central level are overloaded.
In terms of financing, price setting and payment methods
in favor of hospital based services, also have weakened and discouraged provision of primary health care services.
These new health needs require Viet Nam to reorient its health system and redesign its health service delivery models to provide quality, continued, coordinated and integrated care. Reoriented health system should ensure that all the people are able to
use the health services they need, without facing financial hardship. It means that reoriented health system should ensure Universal health coverage. Universal health coverage is a critical component of sustainable development and poverty reduction,
and a key element to reducing social inequities.
Building a health system based on strong primary care is the most cost-effective and sustainable approach in moving towards universal health coverage.
I would recognize that the Government of Viet Nam has been in action to address these emerging challenges. In 2013, the Vietnamese Constitution included health insurance coverage as a right. In 2014, the revised health insurance law was passed providing for compulsory membership for the informal sector and household enrolment. In 2016, the Ministry of Health launched the Plan for People's Health Protection, Care and Improvement in the Period of 2016–2020. The Government has also started to expand the breadth of service delivery provision through hospital autonomy reform and primary health care reform.
Since 2015, WHO has supported the Ministry of Health and several Provinces in piloting new service delivery models in order to strengthen primary care at commune level. Now is the time to consider nationwide scale up.
Yesterday, we visited two model sites of primary health care reform initiatives - Binh Luc district, Ha Nam Province and Soc Son district, Ha Noi City.
From the visit, we confirmed that primary care services are essential for reaching the entire population and guaranteeing universal access to affordable, essential services. Appropriate training for health care workers and the right mechanisms to ensure collaboration across all levels of health care are also critically important.
Today, we will discuss how to move forward in strengthening primary health care and grass root health reform. Sharing of your reflections from two field visit wills serve as a good start. These will meet with the Direction from the Government which we hear from Vice Minister Tuan, further detailed proposal from the Ministry of Health as presented by Dr Hang, international experience as presented by colleagues from the World Bank and survey findings. I am also keen to here from you on the situation of your provinces as well as your plan.
The workshop today clearly demonstrates the government’s commitment to attaining Universal Health Coverage for all Vietnamese people. I would like to take this opportunity to reconfirm WHO’s continued support to the government’s efforts in this process.
I wish you all a productive and successful workshop.
Thank you
Dr Kidong Park