VietNamNet Bridge – Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien did not say when the overload at hospitals will end, but she told National Assembly deputies that the Ministry of Health would submit a plan to the government next year.
Saying that at least two patients have to share a patient bed, or beds are arranged along corridors at hospitals in HCM City, deputy Truong Thi Anh asked Minister Tien on how would her Minister deal with this and when would this situation end?

Admitting the seriousness of overloaded hospitals, especially big hospitals in Hanoi and HCM City, Tien said that the ratio of 20.5 hospital beds per 10,000 people in Vietnam is too low. According to the World Health Organization, this rate was 25 for the world average and 33 in the Western Pacific region.

The Minister said that the Ministry of Health understood this matter and it has carried out many short and long-term measures to gradually solve this situation.

According to a survey at 1,017 hospitals last year, the number of patient beds increased by 7.5 percent over that of 2009. The growth was 6.5 percent for central hospitals (directly managed by the Ministry of Health).

The number of non-resident patients rose remarkably in 2010. The average time of treatment at hospitals also reduced, with around 0.6 days down for each patient at central hospitals in comparison with 2009.

Tien also presented five groups of solutions to curb overload at hospitals, emphasizing spending for healthcare, income of doctors and hospital charges.

The Minister said that next year the Ministry of Health would submit a plan to reduce overloading at hospitals and a plan to develop high-quality healthcare services to the Prime Minister.

The Ministry has asked the government to increase investment in healthcare, equivalent to 10 percent of the GDP.

Management at state-owned hospitals will be reformed to enable the development of these hospitals.

The number of patient beds will be increased, firstly at central hospitals, Minister Tien said.

Phuong Loan