Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Health has set a target that all Vietnamese citizens will receive annual free health examinations, with a total estimated cost of 25 trillion VND (around 1 billion USD), a ministry official has said.

At the Government’s regular April meeting on May 6, Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan described Party General Secretary To Lam’s direction on the exemption of hospital fees for all citizens as a major and humanitarian policy, stating it is not a long-term strategy and a goal that the health sector is determined to implement, but also the one that touches the hearts of millions of people and meets their expectations.

The initiative will increase healthcare access, promote early diagnosis and treatment, optimise healthcare resources, reduce financial burdens on citizens, and improve workforce productivity. Besides, it will promote social equity by enhancing healthcare access for vulnerable groups like ethnic minorities and residents in remote regions, and reducing wealth gap.

Outlining the implementation of the initiative, Thuan said that for 2026-2030, the ministry plans to provide 90% of the population with full access to preventive services, vaccination, primary care, and regular health examinations. All citizens will receive annual free health checkups and electronic health records.

The ministry will work to increase the healthcare insurance coverage and expand the scope of insurance benefits to include preventive care, screenings, early diagnosis, and early-stage treatments.

The proportion of citizens' out-of-pocket payments for healthcare services will be gradually reduced to below 20%, with health insurance co-payments decreased to under 10%. Currently, out-of-pocket expenses account for 40-45% of healthcare spending.

By 2045, Vietnam is envisaged to become a world leader in healthcare social security, with a system fully meeting requirements for protecting and improving people’s health while eliminating all costs for those holding health insurance cards.

He said the ministry is drafting a Politburo resolution, proposing solutions for breakthroughs in healthcare work to meet the national development requirements in the new era. Besides, it is preparing a Government decree to implement the Law on Health Insurance, specifying eligible groups for state support and detail coverage benefits.

Regarding the implementation roadmap, Thuan said the ministry will study and propose the Government to issue a decree guiding the pilot implementation of several policies like expanding the basic healthcare service package benefits from current 15% to 20-30% of the basic salary, providing regular health checkups, screening for early detection of certain diseases (by age and occupation, among others).

From 2030 to 2035, it will study to make comprehensive amendments to the Law on Health Insurance as well as complete policies, regulations, and guidelines to carry out sustainable, stable, and long-term free health care for all citizens.

Party General Secretary To Lam’s two orientations - annual checkups for citizens and free healthcare for all - are not just healthcare goals but also a profound reminder that policies must originate from people, for people, and for a sustainably developing Vietnam, he stressed, adding they could be achieved with strong political determination, broad social consensus, and a clear, systematic implementation roadma✃p./.