He made the statement at this morning’s ceremony to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Vietnamese Doctors' Day (February 27, 1955 - February 27, 2025). The ceremony was convened by the municipal Party Committee, the People's Council, the People's Committee, and Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City.
Speaking at the ceremony, on behalf of Ho Chi Minh City's leaders, Secretary of the HCMC Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen expressed gratitude and congratulations to generations of doctors who have dedicated themselves to protecting and caring for public health.
According to him, even during challenging and impoverished years, doctors remained passionate about their profession, dedicating themselves fully and achieving remarkable medical milestones that earned international admiration.
With the country's push for renovation, the city's healthcare sector has taken the lead, swiftly adapting to trends of development and integration. Evolving from a small, insufficient system, it has grown into a comprehensive and modern healthcare network, establishing itself as a key medical hub in the nation.
As the country has accelerated its renovation process, the city's healthcare sector has been at the forefront, swiftly adapting to the trends of development and integration. From a once small and inadequate system, it has transformed into a cohesive and modern healthcare network, establishing itself as a leading medical center in the nation.
According to Secretary Nguyen Van Nen, the Ho Chi Minh City health sector has witnessed a significant increase in its workforce, coupled with impressive breakthroughs in mastering complex medical techniques. He cited organ transplantation, endoscopic surgery, interventional cardiology, nuclear medicine, and assisted reproduction as examples of the city's advancements, bringing it to the level of leading global healthcare systems.
Secretary Nguyen Van Nen emphasized that during the Covid-19 pandemic, the medical team, alongside the entire political system and the people of the city, demonstrated resilience and courage. Together, they united to overcome the crisis, steadfastly maintaining the anti-epidemic stronghold and preventing the collapse of the healthcare system.
The Covid-19 pandemic has had far-reaching consequences that will require long-term solutions. However, the crisis has also heightened public awareness and fostered greater empathy, compassion, and appreciation - particularly for healthcare workers.
Secretary Nguyen Van Nen stated that the city's health sector must focus on several key priorities in the wake of the painful lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic. These include training high-quality human resources in both expertise and management, aggressively deploying digital transformation, building smart healthcare infrastructure, and promoting administrative reform across the entire health system.
He instructed that a comprehensive approach to healthcare is essential, requiring both the advancement of specialized facilities and techniques, and a strong foundation in basic hospitals, preventive medicine, and primary care. Furthermore, proactive epidemic response strategies must be implemented.
At the same time, the Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee expressed deep gratitude to the leaders of the Party, State, and Central agencies, as well as to neighboring provinces and cities, compatriots across the country and abroad, international friends, religious organizations, and the business community. He acknowledged their invaluable support, assistance, and solidarity with the city's healthcare sector throughout this challenging period.
According to him, the health system, which faced significant challenges during the pandemic, has been strengthened through comprehensive consolidation. This has resulted in a larger and more skilled healthcare workforce, including in preventive medicine and grassroots health, ready to proactively combat epidemics.
According to the Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, the city has made significant progress in healthcare infrastructure. Over recent years, 27 new hospitals have been completed and put into operation, while hundreds of ward and commune health stations have been renovated. The city has also invested in developing many hospitals into specialized medical centers. As a result, Ho Chi Minh City has achieved a doctor-to-population ratio of 21 per 10,000 people and a hospital bed-to-population ratio of 43 per 10,000 people, surpassing the targets set by the 11th Party Congress of HCMC ahead of schedule.
