Deputy Minister of Health: Social workers are "doctors of the soul"

Speaking at the first congress to establish the Vietnam Association of Social Workers in the health sector for the 2025-2030 term, which took place on the afternoon of August 25, Deputy Minister Tran Van Thuan assessed that the congress was not only an affirmation of the maturity of a young field, but also the take-off of a "humanitarian bridge", where the hearts of doctors beat with the community.

From a spontaneous beginning, after 15 years, up to now 100% of Central hospitals and more than 90% of provincial and regional hospitals have social work departments/teams, with nearly 10 thousand officers and employees. They are "doctors of the soul", making an important contribution to improving the quality of medical examination and treatment, building social trust in the medical industry.

According to the leader of the Ministry of Health , social work in healthcare does not stop at charitable acts or immediate financial support. It is a profession, a science, a profession with profound humanity, contributing to the completion of the comprehensive picture of the modern healthcare system.

"If treatment and prevention medicine cares for the physical body, then social work is the "source of compassion" that nourishes the spirit, the "bridge" that connects the heart - mind - community. Social work has made medicine not only a cure, but also a healer of both body and soul," Deputy Minister Thuan assessed.

With the establishment of the Association, social work in the health sector has a new foothold for professional development, systematic and international integration; at the same time, it also has a new motivation to accompany doctors and the entire sector.

The Deputy Minister of Health assessed that social work in healthcare is facing many challenges such as: Inequality in human resources and service quality among professional levels; lack of sustainable financial mechanism to ensure maintenance and development of activities; The legal corridor still needs to be further improved so that the social work profession can clearly affirm its position...

The Deputy Minister of Health requested the Health Social Work Association, along with all social workers and staff nationwide, to improve institutions and standardize their profession.

"Social work in healthcare must be properly recognized as a professional profession. It is necessary to soon complete the legal framework, standardize professional processes, job descriptions and competency frameworks, so that from hospitals to grassroots healthcare, social work is implemented systematically and consistently, becoming an indispensable component of the healthcare system," the Ministry of Health leader directed.

In particular, the Association needs to improve its organization and human resources at all professional levels. The goal is for all hospitals and medical centers to have a social work department and team that operates effectively.

Along with that, gradually increase the ratio of social workers according to the size of hospital beds, and at the same time develop specialized groups for vulnerable areas such as oncology, psychiatry, palliative care, obstetrics, pediatrics, etc.

At the Congress, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Tuan Hung was elected as Chairman of the Association.

Vietnam Medical Social Work Association is a social-professional organization operating in the medical field, voluntarily established in accordance with the law, not for profit.

The purpose of the Association is to gather, unite, protect the legitimate rights and interests of members, support, share experiences, develop the profession of social work in healthcare, improve the quality and effectiveness of medical examination, treatment and disease prevention for people, contributing to the socio -economic development of the country.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/thu-truong-bo-y-te-can-bo-cong-tac-xa-hoi-la-thay-thuoc-cua-tam-hon-20250825221138778.htm