Cho Ray Hospital in HCM City this month offered free health check-ups to people who rendered meritorious services to the revolution in Tay Ninh Province. — VNA/VNS
HANOI: Vietnam citizens are one step closer to receiving free annual health check-ups as outlined in a Politburo resolution, after the Health Ministry unveiled more detailed plans to implement the policy for certain groups.
In 2026, regular check-ups will continue to be provided to workers and others who already received them under the 2015 Law on Occupational Safety and Health and other regulations.
According to the draft plan, free health coverage will also be provided to these workers, along with members of the armed forces, officials under the management of health boards at all levels, students, freelance workers, small traders, farmers, fishermen and homemakers, and priority groups including the elderly, social welfare beneficiaries, people with meritorious services to the revolution, the poor and near-poor, and children under six.
Regular health check-ups will also be organised for these priority groups, funded by the State budget.
From 2027 onward, regular health check-ups will continue to be conducted at least once a year for these groups.
According to the draft rules, employers will cover costs for workers under their management.
The Ministry of National Defence and the Ministry of Public Security will ensure funding for the armed forces, while health protection boards for officials at all levels will allocate budgets for officials under their authority.
Provincial- and city-level people’s committees will arrange local budgets or central Government support for other groups.
Health insurance funds will reimburse services included in the eligible coverage list, along with resources mobilised through social means, aid and lawful sponsorship.
A policy of organising regular health check-ups for the entire population was defined by the Politburo in Resolution 72-NQ/TW dated Sept 9.
Under the resolution, starting in 2026, citizens must receive free regular health check-ups or screening at least once a year and be provided with electronic health records to manage their health throughout their life cycle.
This is considered a fundamental solution to reduce health care costs, ease hospital overcrowding and improve the quality of the nation's workforce amid rapid population ageing and a growing burden of non-communicable diseases.
Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan confirmed that the policy of providing regular health check-ups and screening for citizens at least once a year is sound, scientifically grounded and highly humanitarian.
If effectively implemented, it will enable early and long-term health care throughout citizens' lives and help reduce pressure on medical facilities, he said.
Regular health check-ups and early screening play an important role in improving physical fitness, quality of life and life expectancy. Early detection and timely treatment allow people to live longer and healthier lives, helping to reduce the disease burden on families and society, he said.
The goal is for all Vietnamese citizens to receive a health check-up or screening at least once a year. Target groups are divided into several categories, including armed forces personnel, workers, officials, students and other groups, he said.
The Ministry of Health said it will continue to collect feedback from ministries, sectors and localities to further refine group classifications in line with relevant legal regulations.
Ministry leaders also noted that the health insurance fund will serve as the primary source of funding for regular health check-ups and screening, supplemented by State budget allocations and other lawful sources.
Localities with sufficient capacity may conduct broader screening programmes to enhance health care quality.
The ministry also admitted challenges related to limited resources, the capacity of local healthcare, wide residential areas and uneven information technology infrastructure while applying the scheme.
Dispersed residential areas and complex terrain make it difficult for people in rural and mountainous areas to access information and services for health check-ups or screening.
The capacity of some commune-level health stations, medical centres and regional hospitals remains limited, with shortages of qualified personnel and inadequate facilities and equipment that are able to meet the requirements for health check-ups. — Vietnam News/ANN
