By 2025, complete the submission to the National Assembly of draft laws related to the health sector.

As a result, with 475 delegates participating in the vote in favor (accounting for 96.15%), the National Assembly passed the Resolution.

Mobilizing 230,000 billion VND for epidemic prevention and control

The Resolution stated that by December 31, 2022, the whole country had mobilized about 230,000 billion VND directly to serve the work of epidemic prevention and control and implementation of social security policies.

As of December 31, 2022, the COVID-19 prevention and control budget has been used as follows: supporting people, employees, employers, and business households affected by the COVID-19 pandemic with over VND 87,000 billion; spending on regimes and policies for frontline forces and other forces participating in the prevention and control of the pandemic (military, police, health, etc.) VND 4,487 billion.

COVID-19 vaccines have been purchased for VND15,134 billion; COVID-19 vaccine research and testing support for VND4.6 billion; testing kits for VND2,593 billion; drugs, chemicals, biological products, equipment, and medical supplies for VND5,291 billion...

"The National Assembly honors individuals and groups that have contributed their intelligence, strength, wealth and material resources to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, especially the forces directly performing frontline tasks in the health sector, the armed forces and the forces directly at the grassroots level in the fight against the pandemic," the Resolution stated.

In addition to the achieved results, the mobilization, management and use of resources for COVID-19 prevention and control still have shortcomings and limitations, such as: The issuance of documents to specify a number of special, exceptional and specific measures stipulated in Resolution No. 30/2021/QH15 is sometimes not timely, not complete, not consistent, leading to passivity, confusion, and lack of synchronization in implementation. The management, use, payment and settlement of epidemic prevention and control funds from the state budget during and after the peak period of epidemic prevention and control are still delayed, and difficulties and problems arising have not been promptly and thoroughly resolved...

Regarding the implementation of policies and laws on primary health care and preventive medicine, the Resolution clearly stated that in the period of 2018-2022, the implementation of policies and laws on primary health care and preventive medicine continued to achieve many positive results. Primary health care and preventive medicine play an increasingly important role in the cause of protecting, caring for, and improving people's health and contribute significantly to the success of disease prevention and control, especially the COVID-19 epidemic. The system of legal documents related to primary health care and preventive medicine has been gradually improved, more suitable to reality and task requirements. Primary health care and preventive medicine have received investment attention and have been effectively promoted.

240620230312-z4459501739482_e3ccb5cc4394ba851c024941a56d2647.jpg — National Assembly leaders vote to pass the Resolution

In addition, the legal system on primary health care and preventive medicine is not yet synchronous, some documents are slow to be issued and amended; the organizational system is still unstable, has many shortcomings, and is not really effective; the management model of district-level health centers is not unified, and has not yet promoted the role and advantages of private health care and traditional medicine...

Regarding preventive medicine, the Resolution emphasizes: The preventive medicine system has been gradually consolidated and streamlined. By 2022, 63/63 provinces and cities have established Centers for Disease Control based on the merger of many centers in the field of preventive medicine at the provincial level. Human resources for basic preventive medicine have received attention for training and improving their professional capacity. The work of preventing and controlling infectious diseases and non-communicable diseases has achieved many successes.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic has more clearly exposed the shortcomings, limitations, and difficulties of the health system in general and primary health care and preventive medicine in particular.

By 2025, complete the submission to the National Assembly of draft laws related to the health sector.

To overcome shortcomings and limitations in the management and use of resources for COVID-19 prevention and control, perfect and effectively implement policies and laws on grassroots health care and preventive medicine, and ensure timely and effective response when similar epidemics occur, the National Assembly requests the Government and the Prime Minister to direct ministries, branches and localities to thoroughly grasp lessons learned and promptly implement the proposals and recommendations of the Supervisory Delegation such as: Urgently study and submit to the National Assembly to amend, supplement or promulgate the Law on Health Insurance, the Law on Pharmacy, the Law on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases, the Law on Medical Equipment, the Law on Food Safety and laws related to grassroots health care, preventive medicine and emergency situations.

Strengthen the capacity to provide primary health care and preventive health services in the direction of: Primary health care ensures full implementation of primary health care functions, medical examination and treatment, disease prevention and control, and health promotion to ensure that all people receive health care in the community.

Preventive medicine continues to focus on implementing tasks of preventing and controlling infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, diseases of unknown cause, controlling risk factors, improving health, food safety, community nutrition, environmental health and hygiene, school health, health care for workers, the elderly, mothers and children, population, and health education and communication.

The National Assembly assigned the Government to complete submitting to the National Assembly draft laws related to the fields of primary health care, preventive medicine, and emergency situations by 2025 at the latest. At the same time, direct ministries and branches to issue documents guiding the payment and settlement of mobilized funds, revenues, expenditures, and contributions outside the state budget for COVID-19 prevention and control. Direct the review and guidance on the management and use mechanism of remaining funds supported by organizations and individuals for medical facilities in epidemic prevention and control according to the provisions of law...

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