National Assembly delegates propose to resolve the shortage of drugs and medical supplies in some provinces and cities.

Proposal to abolish hospital transfer papers when using health insurance

Speaking at the discussion session, delegate Nguyen Anh Tri (Hanoi delegation) basically agreed with the report of the National Assembly Standing Committee; highly appreciated the efforts of the Ministry of Health and the Minister of Health himself in resolving hot and difficult issues for voters and people.

Delegates reflected that population officers in general, especially grassroots population officers, have suffered many disadvantages, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. Recently, the Ministry of Health issued Official Letter No. 5492 on transferring ranks and reassigning tasks of population officers. This is a relatively timely action. Delegates requested the Ministry of Health to inspect and urge the Departments of Health to strictly implement this Official Letter.

Regarding the issue of local shortage of drugs and medical supplies at medical facilities and public hospitals in some provinces and cities, delegate Nguyen Anh Tri emphasized that this phenomenon has been mentioned many times in reports and has been discussed and questioned many times at the meeting. The Ministry of Health has tried its best to resolve it with necessary legal documents to promote the purchase of medical equipment for medical examination and treatment. The delegate requested that provinces and localities urge, inspect and organize the purchase of sufficient and correct equipment to ensure good conditions for health care, medical examination and treatment for the people.

Notably, regarding the issue of health insurance, delegate Nguyen Anh Tri reiterated the voters' reflection that going to the doctor, patients having to ask for a hospital transfer paper is "very troublesome, very time-consuming, very tiring". The delegate said that information technology has now advanced and the connection of test results, functional examinations, and diagnostic imaging has become quite smooth.

"Currently, more than 93% of Vietnam's population has health insurance, so the need to request a hospital transfer certificate should be abolished," delegate Nguyen Anh Tri suggested.

Delegate Nguyen Anh Tri also proposed to accelerate the journey of connecting routes, more substantially, and in the next revision of the Law on Health Insurance, it is necessary to make it so that people with health insurance can seek medical examination and treatment anywhere, in accordance with their medical condition, quality of examination and treatment, travel time, care conditions, etc. According to the delegate, this must be considered the most important amendment in this revision.

How to resolve debts of hospitals and medical facilities during the pandemic?

Another issue raised by delegate Nguyen Huu Thong (Binh Thuan delegation) at the meeting was the current situation during the Covid-19 outbreak, with many cases continuously infected, making purchases according to regulations difficult due to social distancing. Therefore, units that borrowed goods, medical supplies, and disinfectants from suppliers and private enterprises have not yet paid due to procedural problems.

Therefore, voters in the health sector recommend that the authorities provide guidance on debt repayment for units in purchasing and borrowing medical equipment and disinfectant chemicals to prevent and fight the Covid-19 epidemic. For Binh Thuan province alone, delegate Nguyen Huu Thong said that this debt is more than 91 billion VND.

According to the delegate, the National Assembly has issued Resolution No. 99 on supervision, which has assigned the Government and the Ministry of Health to study solutions to remove difficulties and obstacles, but up to now, according to the Government's report, the Ministry of Health has not yet issued a document guiding the removal of these shortcomings.

"It can be said that local medical facilities are facing many difficulties and problems in paying debts. Creditors are waiting, debtors are waiting for instructions. We request that the Government and the Ministry of Health provide instructions soon," delegate Nguyen Huu Thong suggested.

Speaking at the debate session regarding unpaid debts of hospitals and medical facilities during the Covid-19 pandemic, delegate Nguyen Lan Hieu (Binh Dinh delegation) affirmed that this is a prominent issue not only in Binh Thuan province but also in the majority of provinces and cities where the pandemic broke out, not only supplies and medicines but also meals, laundry, oxygen, compressed air, etc.

Delegate Nguyen Huu Thong proposed that the Ministry of Health issue guidelines, but according to delegate Nguyen Lan Hieu, that alone is not enough. Delegate Nguyen Lan Hieu stated that the Government can only set out principles and direct localities to conduct their own reviews, but always include a sentence that says “to implement in accordance with the provisions of the law.” Thus, the delegate believes that everything will stand still.

Therefore, delegate Nguyen Lan Hieu suggested that the Ministry of Health should issue detailed guidance documents on some problems with specific items, often used to fight the epidemic; localities need to strongly support the health sector with resolutions of the People's Council, thoroughly resolving the problems that exist after the pandemic so that the health sector can confidently continue to perform its task of taking care of people's health.

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