Grassroots health care is the foundation of Vietnam's health system,said Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, Minister of Health at a meeting in Hueimperial city, central Thua Thien-Hue province, on March 24.
DeputyPrime Minister Vu Duc Dam, senior Party and Government officials, anddelegates from the World Health Organisation, World Bank and theEuropean Union attended.
Tien said that by now, Vietnam hashealth workers in all corners of the country, including midwives andhealth coordinators in remote villages and hamlets.
The nationhas almost 11,000 communal health stations with hundreds of healthworkers, including well trained doctors and nurses.
"Our healthsystem, particularly grassroots health networks, is commended byinternational organisations for their service to the people,particularly in mountainous and remote areas and on offshore islands,"Tien said.
Although the grassroots healthcare system has had manysuccesses, there are many difficulties and challenges. One of theobstacles is the rapid change in disease models, including innon-communicable and communicable diseases as well as food poisoning andenvironmental pollution.
She said the health of people living inmountain regions has been considerably improved, but their health indexis still much lower than those living in the delta areas.
"That'swhy we need to consolidate and expand the grassroots health network,particularly in the domain of human resources, infrastructure, financeand lucrative policies to attract more healthcare workers willing towork in remote areas," Tien said.
Deputy Prime Minister Vu DucDam said he appreciates the Ministry of Health's initiative tocoordinate with WHO, the European Union and the World Bank.
Damlaid down eight tasks for the grassroots health system, includingdefining the role of the system and the relations between grassrootshealth system and family doctors and assessing technical servicesprovided and preferential policies for medical staff. The eventual goalwas full health coverage for every Vietnamese.
Takeshi Kasai,from the WHO office in the Western Pacific Regional Office (WPRO) saidVietnam had one of the best health situations in the Pacific Region.However, he said the grassroots network should be reformed to ensurehigh quality service, particularly in developing human resourcesdevelopment and financial mechanisms.
Franz Jassen, head of theEuropean Union delegation in Vietnam, said the EU highly appreciatesVietnam's achievements in the health sector, particularly at grassrootslevel.
Thomas Palu, director in charge of GlobalPopulation-Nutrition programme at the World Bank, said Vietnam is one ofthe 10 nations to achieve the Millennium Development Goal in heath.
However,he said the country needed a modern primary health system and suggestedit increase investment in grassroots health to ensure a sustainablecoverage across the nation.-VNA
DeputyPrime Minister Vu Duc Dam, senior Party and Government officials, anddelegates from the World Health Organisation, World Bank and theEuropean Union attended.
Tien said that by now, Vietnam hashealth workers in all corners of the country, including midwives andhealth coordinators in remote villages and hamlets.
The nationhas almost 11,000 communal health stations with hundreds of healthworkers, including well trained doctors and nurses.
"Our healthsystem, particularly grassroots health networks, is commended byinternational organisations for their service to the people,particularly in mountainous and remote areas and on offshore islands,"Tien said.
Although the grassroots healthcare system has had manysuccesses, there are many difficulties and challenges. One of theobstacles is the rapid change in disease models, including innon-communicable and communicable diseases as well as food poisoning andenvironmental pollution.
She said the health of people living inmountain regions has been considerably improved, but their health indexis still much lower than those living in the delta areas.
"That'swhy we need to consolidate and expand the grassroots health network,particularly in the domain of human resources, infrastructure, financeand lucrative policies to attract more healthcare workers willing towork in remote areas," Tien said.
Deputy Prime Minister Vu DucDam said he appreciates the Ministry of Health's initiative tocoordinate with WHO, the European Union and the World Bank.
Damlaid down eight tasks for the grassroots health system, includingdefining the role of the system and the relations between grassrootshealth system and family doctors and assessing technical servicesprovided and preferential policies for medical staff. The eventual goalwas full health coverage for every Vietnamese.
Takeshi Kasai,from the WHO office in the Western Pacific Regional Office (WPRO) saidVietnam had one of the best health situations in the Pacific Region.However, he said the grassroots network should be reformed to ensurehigh quality service, particularly in developing human resourcesdevelopment and financial mechanisms.
Franz Jassen, head of theEuropean Union delegation in Vietnam, said the EU highly appreciatesVietnam's achievements in the health sector, particularly at grassrootslevel.
Thomas Palu, director in charge of GlobalPopulation-Nutrition programme at the World Bank, said Vietnam is one ofthe 10 nations to achieve the Millennium Development Goal in heath.
However,he said the country needed a modern primary health system and suggestedit increase investment in grassroots health to ensure a sustainablecoverage across the nation.-VNA
