The initiative is part of the city's broader drive to meet its 2026 socioeconomic development targets while transforming the healthcare system from a treatment-focused model to one centered on preventive care, digital health data and patient-centered services.
The launch ceremony was attended by senior city leaders, including Nguyen Phuoc Loc, Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, and Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee in Ho Chi Minh City, as well as Huynh Thanh Nhan, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council.
Speaking at the event, Associate Professor Dr. Tang Chi Thuong, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, said the campaign implements a directive issued by the municipal People's Committee to mobilize a 150-day citywide drive aimed at fulfilling the city's 2026 socioeconomic development goals.
Under the campaign, the health sector will accelerate the implementation of the city's public health checkup program.
The program seeks to ensure that every resident receives a health examination, is issued an electronic health record, and benefits from continuous health management throughout their lifetime. Beyond being a large-scale public health initiative, the program represents a strategic shift toward a proactive healthcare model that emphasizes disease prevention, data-driven management, and people-centered healthcare services.
After nearly two months of implementation, more than 550,000 residents have undergone health checkups and had electronic health records created. However, with a population exceeding 14 million, city officials acknowledged that substantial work remains, requiring stronger participation from the entire political system, the healthcare sector, and the public.
Under the campaign's theme of “Accelerate – Break Through – Finish Ahead of Schedule," the Department of Health has outlined several key priorities.
The city will mobilize resources across the entire healthcare system, including public and private healthcare facilities, hospitals operated by ministries and central agencies, as well as general and specialized clinics, to participate in the universal health checkup program.
The department will also strengthen coordination between healthcare facilities and all 168 wards, communes, and special administrative zones across the city to organize regular and accessible health screenings tailored to the local population needs.
In addition, mobile medical teams will expand health screening services in communities, schools, and businesses, while home-based examinations will be provided for elderly people, persons with disabilities, individuals with limited mobility, and those facing difficult circumstances.
According to Dr. Tang Chi Thuong, healthcare facilities have been instructed to establish dedicated areas for health screenings separate from regular medical treatment services. Free health examinations will be offered regardless of residents' place of residence within the city to maximize accessibility.
All health screening data will be updated promptly and accurately on the city's community health platform to support the development of electronic health records and ensure continuous health management for every resident.
Dr. Tang Chi Thuong emphasized that every interaction between residents and the healthcare system should become an opportunity to identify individuals who have not yet participated in the program and provide them with health checkups.
He called on healthcare workers, hospitals operated by ministries and central agencies, private healthcare providers, businesses, social organizations, mass organizations, and all city residents to actively support the 150-day campaign through practical and responsible actions.
With the determination of the entire political system, the dedication of healthcare professionals, and the active participation of residents, the health sector is confident that every citizen will have their own electronic health record and receive lifelong health monitoring and care. This will contribute to building a modern, equitable, high-quality, and sustainable healthcare system, while gradually establishing Ho Chi Minh City as a modern healthcare center in the ASEAN region, Dr. Tang Chi Thuong said.
