HCM City (VNA) - Ho Chi Minh City has reached its goal to have 20 doctors per 10,000 people after implementation of a five-year programme on improving the quality of health care services for local residents.

The municipal Department of Health earlier this week released the results of the programme during the 2016-20 period.

Nguyen Tan Binh, Director of the department, said the city had 16 doctors and 33 nurses per 10,000 people in 2016. By the end of May, that figure had increased to 35 nurses per 10,000 people, and two doctors and two midwives or assistant doctors in obstetrics and pediatrics at all health stations.

All medical workers in the city have received training, updated their medical knowledge and professional skills, and improved their attitudes towards patients.

In the 2016-19 period, the number of health workers obtaining postgraduate qualifications increased to 6,835 from 6,385.

The number of doctors obtaining postgraduate qualifications increased to 7,164 people. Of the number, there were 304 doctors with PhD degrees, accounting for 4.25 percent.

Most trained medical staff have met requirements for medical treatments, which has improved the quality of healthcare services and reduced overcrowding in hospitals.  

Many district-level hospitals have attracted more patients for health examinations and treatment, Binh said.

The training has created opportunities and favorable conditions for medical staff to acquire new knowledge and apply advanced medical techniques.

Numerous modern technologies have been successfully transferred and applied effectively at health facilities in the city and southern region, Binh said.

Among them are stem cells for treatment of hematologic diseases at the Blood Transfusion Hematology Hospital, and continuous dialysis technique for hand-foot-and-mouth disease patients at HCM City Paediatrics Hospital 1.

In addition, techniques in cardiac catheterisation, organ transplantation, in-vitro fertilisation, laparoscopic surgery, open heart surgery, Phaco technique for cataract surgery, and cochlear implant surgery have been successfully applied.

The department's goals for the next five-year period aim to have 21 doctors and 40 nurses per 10,000 people.

By 2026, 100 percent of medical workers will be provided training and will update their medical knowledge and professional skills, and will have an improved attitude towards patients./.