Stabilize organization and resources for effective operation of grassroots health care

Stable to serve the sick

At 2:00 p.m., in the hallway of Hoa Son medical station (belonging to Ung Thien commune medical station, Hanoi city), many patients were waiting for their turn to be examined by doctors and get regular medication. Mr. Nguyen Van Phuc (58 years old, Mieng Thuong village, Ung Thien commune) said: "This is the second time I have come to see a doctor and get medication for high blood pressure, after the health sector implemented the two-level government model. I found that the doctors and nurses are enthusiastic and attentive to the patients. Due to the additional human resources from the upper level, the doctors and nurses spend more time consulting and giving detailed instructions on diet; instructing patients on exercise and sports suitable for each age group to have better health as well as prevent diseases".

Mr. Phuc also hopes that the State will continue to invest in equipment for medical stations, not only to help people access modern medical services and feel secure in their treatment, but also to increasingly create trust in the medical staff here.

Head of the Ung Thien Commune Health Station, Dr. Pham Quoc Khai, said: The station was established on the basis of six previous commune health stations. Currently, the station and five health stations have 68 staff members working, including 11 doctors, 13 nurses, 17 medical assistants... After being established, the health station promptly appointed and assigned staff to be in charge of health stations to perform professional tasks.

In particular, with the number of staff transferred from the medical center, the station has assigned them to work at medical points in the area. This group of staff will focus on developing plans, providing professional guidance in various fields... thereby helping other colleagues focus on their assigned professional work.

The health station also advised the People's Committee of the commune to develop and immediately implement plans for public health care; disease prevention and control, food safety; plans for managing private medical practice, cosmetics and medical equipment business, etc. With the efforts of the medical staff, emergency care, medical examination and treatment, and medicine distribution at the station as well as medical points are guaranteed to be maintained 24/24 hours... After more than 1.5 months of operation under the new model, Ung Thien Commune Health Station and medical points have examined and provided medicine to nearly 5,500 patients. The number of people in Ung Thien commune who have created health records is more than 46,000 people.

Currently, 126 commune and ward health stations in Hanoi ensure timely implementation of professional tasks; advise the commune and ward people's committees to establish steering committees for disease prevention and food safety; review and arrange the station's headquarters and health points to ensure long-term stable operation, well meeting the health care needs of local people.

Deputy Director in charge of Hanoi Department of Health Nguyen Dinh Hung

Deputy Director in charge of the Hanoi Department of Health Nguyen Dinh Hung said: Currently, 126 commune and ward health stations in Hanoi ensure timely implementation of professional tasks; advise the People's Committees of communes and wards to establish steering committees for disease prevention and food safety; review and arrange the station's headquarters and health points to ensure long-term stable operation, well meeting the health care needs of people in the area.

Mr. Hung added that in the process of implementing the two-level local government model, some health stations have encountered difficulties in registering for practice and approving additional technical lists due to changes in personnel and equipment. On the other hand, the number of stations is large, granting operating licenses and carrying out administrative procedures such as registering for practice and technical lists takes a lot of time. Notably, currently, health stations have not signed contracts for medical examination and treatment under health insurance; there is no funding source to be able to implement bidding and purchase of drugs, especially the human resources of many health stations are not capable enough to organize bidding for drug supply... The Department of Health will coordinate with local authorities and functional agencies to remove obstacles, helping grassroots health care operate effectively.

No interruption in health care

The Ministry of Health has just organized a number of inspection teams to arrange and organize medical facilities when implementing two-level local government in a number of provinces and cities. The results show that: Localities have focused on arranging and organizing medical facilities, in which, selecting a central medical station as a medical station for communes, wards, and special zones, the remaining medical stations are organized into medical points. Reviewing and transferring human resources from district medical centers to commune medical stations to meet the requirements of the task. On the side of the People's Committees of communes and wards, they are focusing on investing in facilities and equipment for new medical stations to meet the conditions for licensing to operate as medical examination and treatment facilities, ensuring the task of primary health care for people in the area is continuous and uninterrupted.

In order to promptly and effectively deploy the grassroots health system according to the two-level local government model, Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan said that localities need to closely follow the resolutions and directives of the Central Government and the Ministry of Health to remove difficulties and obstacles in performing tasks, especially at the grassroots health level. From there, improve the effectiveness of health care activities, helping people access high-quality health services right at the grassroots level. Focus on budget resources to invest in facilities and equipment for health stations, aiming to build commune health stations into complete public service units; have preferential policies to attract quality human resources to work at grassroots health, especially in disadvantaged areas and ethnic minority areas.

Mr. Thuan said that the Ministry of Health will soon issue a circular guiding the functions, tasks, and organizational structure of commune, ward, and special zone health stations; update the software for the medical examination and treatment practice management system; and provide specific guidance on the criteria for determining main stations and station points. At the same time, complete the connection of the national database on pharmaceutical business, prescription management, and pharmaceutical practice management for easy lookup and to reduce the time for processing administrative procedures... The health sector determines: Not to interrupt the work of taking care of people's health when implementing the two-level local government model nationwide.