Hanoi (VNA) – Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien said her ministry will doits utmost to improve grassroots-level healthcare network as the governmentalready approved a resolution on the plan.

At the NationalAssembly’s question and answer session on June 14, Minister Tien said the Ministry of Health had carefully prepared for theplan on investment and development of grassroots-level healthcareestablishments.

Regarding the queryof deputy Nguyen Thi Le Thuy from southern Ben Tre province on the role of commune medical stations, Tien acknowledged thatthere is a shortage of commune clinics, while the quality of existing onesremains poor. The arrangement of clinics remains inappropriate as there aremany clinics close together in certain plain districts while it takes residentsin isolate and mountainous areas up to half a day to reach a clinic whereequipment for primary healthcare is also insufficient.

About the reform and promotion of grassrootshealthcare establishments raised by deputy Cao Thi Giang of Quang Binh province,Minister Tien said the sector will focus on grassroots healthcare in thistenure, adding that the international community has recognised Vietnam’sachievements in the field, including the network’s spreading to hamlets andvillages, the reduction of maternal and infant mortality rates, and criteriarelating to longevity and nutrition.

The grassroots healthcare network has done agood job in primary healthcare despite limited resources, she noted.

In the time ahead, the Ministry of Health willtake solutions to improve the apparatus, manpower, finance, infrastructure andoperations of grassroots healthcare establishments. It will coordinate with theWorld Health Organisation (WHO) to set up rapid response teams and map thelocation of more than 10,000 commune-level medical stations nationwide, the ministeradded.

Deputy Le Quan of Hanoi argued that grassrootshealthcare clinics, especially in urban areas, have been equipped relativelywell but the efficiency is still low. Meanwhile, many doctors have had to rentmedical establishments at high expenses.

Vietnam should learn from developed countries’experience where competent doctors are allowed to make use of grassroots-levelclinics to provide medical services, thus attracting patients and helping toease pressure on health insurance, he added.

During the session, Minister Tien was alsogrilled about solutions to improve the quality of medical checks-up andtreatment along with medicine prices and supply.-VNA