Last Friday, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam co-chaired a nationwide online conference on stepping up the implementation of health insurance for all residents.  Participants in Da Nang were the municipal People’s Committee (PC) Chairman Huynh Duc Tho and Vice Chairman Dang Viet Dung.

According to the latest statistics released by the Viet Nam Social Insurance (VSI), last year all sectors fulfilled the nation’s target of 76.5% of the total population having health insurance.  Earlier this year, 70.8 million Vietnamese were covered by health insurance, up 0.83 million against the same period last year.  In order to fulfil the target of universal health insurance soon, VSI proposed the national leader should raise the health insurance coverage rate to 90% by 2020 instead of the 80% previously planned.

Prime Minister Phuc speaking at the event

Addressing the event, Prime Minister Phuc highlighted the significance and utility of fulfilling the target of universal health insurance.  This would benefit all Vietnamese people, especially the poor and social policy beneficiaries.  He took the opportunity to ask ministries, sectors, and localities to make every effort to reach the target of 90% of the total population having health insurance by 2020. 

In Da Nang, Vice Chairman Dung said “Last year, 960,510 local people, accounting for 95% of the city’s total population, had health insurance.  Medical examinations and treatment for health insurance holders have been enhanced, and the rights of health insurance holders have been ensured.  The city has focused on upgrading medical facilities and enhancing the professional skills of medical staff to provide better services for patients and to win their trust.”

He also remarked that the city is setting its target of raising the health insurance coverage rate to 98% of the local population by 2020.  He said he would like the central government to introduce more measures to enhance the quality of medical examinations and treatment for local health insurance holders.  Special attention should be paid to accelerating administrative reforms, and raising the effective management of medical examinations and treatment and the funding for them.