VietNamNet Bridge – HCM City authorities had prepared a plan on increasing hospital fees to submit to the city People’s Council for approval at the ongoing session but they decided to withdraw the proposal at the last minute because they worried that the it would heavily affect the local residents.

The meeting of HCM City People's Council on July 10.

On July 4, the HCM City People’s Committee sent a proposal to the People’s Council on raising hospital fees at public hospitals under the joint circular of the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Finance. However, on the opening day of the session, July 10, the committee suddenly withdrew the petition.

In this document, the HCM City People’s Committee said that the joint circular permitting the increase of hospital fees took effect from April 15, 2012. So far more than 60 provinces and cities have increased the fees, except for HCM City.

The city budget for the health sector annually increases, from VND2.054 trillion in 2012 to VND2.415 trillion in 2013, up by 17.6 percent). However, HCM City’s public hospitals are also responsible for serving patients from southern provinces (about 30 percent of patients at the city’s hospitals come from other provinces).

To improve the healthcare services, the increase of hospital fees is a must. The city People’s Committee proposed to increase the fees for healthcare services by 1.49 times on average.

Speaking at the group discussion of the city People’s Council meeting on July 10, Dr. Tang Chi Thuong, Director of HCM City Children's Hospital No. 1 said as a people’s deputy, he understood that the hospital fees should not be increased at this time. But as a person working in the health sector, he felt sad with the decision because the health sector is facing major difficulties in seeking funding for development.

"I would like to know when the hospital fees will increase? Next year or how many years more," Thuong asked.

The People’s Council President Nguyen Thi Quyet Tam said the proposal on increasing hospital fees is reasonable and necessary.

“The Hanoi People’s Council has just agreed to raise hospital fees from August 2013. Public hospitals in many other provinces and cities have also increased hospital fees. However, at this session, the People’s Council has agreed to increase tuition fees so we cannot raise the hospital fees at the same time because it will heavily affect the people," Tam explained. She added that the city would continue assisting the health sector.

Earlier, the HCM City People’s Committee proposed to raise the tuition fees at public schools by 3-4 times. The new fees will be applied from the next academic year (2013-2014).

Tran Cham