According to Prime Minister Phuc, the new appointment is undertaking an important task – taking care of people’s health. The health sector relates to the maintenance or improvement of health via the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, recovery, or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in people. Hence, the new appointment will undertake heavy tasks.
Mr. Phuc added that the new health minister is an experienced physician who has undertaken different missions; especially, Minister Long has significantly contributed to the Covid-19 infection prevention and control efforts.
Moreover, PM Phuc emphasized the health sector must renew existing financial policies and mechanisms to improve paid medical services so that more people can access to these services at lower cost. In regard to patient overcrowd reduction and transparent management of medical equipment and medicine price as well as bidding, the new health minister should keep an eye on.
PM Phuc also noted that the health sector must take heed of food safety in schools, industrial parks and export processing zones. Last but not least, the health sector should expand health insurance coverage with the attention to poor people, who had served in the country revolution and elderly people.
PM Phuc requested the health ministry to rearrange activities to call for social contributions to hospital development especially in public facilities but the ministry must have management to control commercialization in infirmaries.
Alongside, the sector should help medical grassroot facilities and telemedicine to further develop so that residents can access to good health services in their localities, Mr. Phuc said.
Delivering speech on appointment as the new health minister, Mr. Thanh Long said that he thanked for the Party, the Politburo, the National Assembly, the President and the Prime Minister’s trust and support, committing to using the energy of his spirit for the health sector growth.
Mr. Long hailing from the Northern Province of Nam Dinh was approved by the National Assembly to be the Minister of Health on November 12. Afterwards, the President signed a decision to appoint him to the Minister of Health for the tenure 2016-2021. Since the beginning of the year, he has significantly contributed to the Covid-19 infection prevention and control efforts.
