The Standing Committee of the National Assembly today reviewed a draft resolution outlining mechanisms and policies to implement the Politburo’s Resolution No. 72-NQ/TW. The resolution aims to introduce breakthrough measures to strengthen healthcare protection, improve medical services, and enhance the overall health of the population.
The draft features three primary policy categories such as reducing medical costs while expanding public healthcare benefits; improving human resources and specialized medical training; and introducing reforms in land use, financing, and preventive healthcare.
According to the proposal, from 2026, citizens will receive free annual health checkups or medical screenings, with priority and rollout schedules based on target groups. The state budget is expected to allocate around VND6 trillion (US$227.82 million) per year for priority groups, supplemented by funding from health insurance and corporate contributions.
From 2027, the Government plans to gradually implement hospital fee exemptions, providing 100 percent health insurance coverage for near-poor households and elderly citizens aged 75 and above who receive social pensions.
In terms of healthcare personnel, the draft proposes a 100 percent allowance for medical workers directly involved in professional duties at commune health stations and preventive health facilities in remote, border, island, and disadvantaged regions. Support will also be extended to specialized areas including psychiatry, forensic medicine, emergency care, and pathology. The total estimated state budget for these allowances is about VND4.48 trillion, with 97 percent allocated to facilities in localities.
The third policy group focuses on land, finance, and preventive healthcare. It seeks to strengthen the capacity of the healthcare system, especially primary and preventive care. Provincial authorities will be instructed to reserve and allocate clean or recovered land for healthcare infrastructure, ensuring convenient access for citizens.
Notably, the draft asserts that the state budget will ensure funding for routine expenditures and investments in primary healthcare and preventive medicine, irrespective of the level of financial autonomy. The state budget will also guarantee funding for catch-up vaccination activities and campaign vaccinations for vaccines included in the expanded immunization program, aimed at proactively preventing and combating epidemics.
The regulations regarding catch-up vaccinations and campaign vaccinations in this draft will take effect from January 1, 2026, until the Public Health Law comes into force, which is anticipated to be on July 1, 2026.
