Proposal to issue separate policy for Lao patients

(Dan Tri) – Every year, Nghe An province receives 4,000 Lao people to Nghe An for treatment at hospitals bordering the two countries and provincial hospitals.

At the 21st session of the 18th Nghe An Provincial People's Council on July 10, delegates and voters said that recently, many Lao patients have come to Nghe An for medical treatment. These patients do not have health insurance, and Nghe An province has not had any support policies for this group.

The delegates proposed that the People's Committee of Nghe An province submit to the Provincial People's Council a separate policy on this issue for Lao patients coming here for medical treatment. The policy to support Lao patients is one of the solutions to strengthen solidarity, cohesion, and further tighten the good relationship between Vietnam and Laos.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Hoa, Director of Nghe An Department of Health, said that every year, about 4,000 Lao people go to the locality for medical treatment, mainly concentrated in 3 border provinces, including Hua Phan, Xieng Khouang and Bo Ly Kham Xay.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Hoa, Director of Nghe An Department of Health (Photo: Hoang Lam).

These patients were examined and treated at medical facilities in some border districts of Nghe An such as Ky Son, Que Phong and provincial hospitals.

According to the current Law on Medical Examination and Treatment, the support regime in medical examination and treatment only applies to foreigners who are granted scholarships from the Vietnamese state budget. The rest, foreigners, including Laotians, who come to Vietnam for medical examination and treatment must pay according to the service price.

A Lao patient is treated at a provincial hospital in Nghe An (Photo: Nguyet Anh).

However, at medical facilities in Nghe An, Lao people are examined and prescribed prescriptions for free and must pay for treatment costs according to current regulations because medical facilities are operating under a financial autonomy mechanism.

To carry out foreign affairs tasks, Ms. Hoa said that the recommendations of delegates and voters on issuing policies for Lao patients when they go to Nghe An for treatment are correct.

The Director of Nghe An Department of Health proposed that the People's Committee of this province study and have specific policies suitable for this content to strengthen the solidarity and friendship between the two countries and create favorable conditions for border localities.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/an-sinh/de-xuat-ban-hanh-chinh-sach-rieng-cho-benh-nhan-nguoi-lao-20240710190025479.htm