PM asks health sector to prevent medicine shortages

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh directed the healthcare sector to take measures to prevent any shortage of medicines, medical materials and equipment, and bio-products at a meeting held on February 24 to launch healthcare tasks for 2023.

He asked the sector to coordinate with other ministries and sectors to propose policies to attract high-quality human resources, strengthen scientific and technological research and transfer, and ensure the rational development of medical facilities at all levels and among regions.

The sector was instructed to boost the progress of programs and projects to enhance its capacity, speed up public investment disbursement, and implement the national digital transformation program.

This year the sector is to focus on continuing to develop the medical system in a fair, effective, and sustainable manner, efficiently control Covid-19 and emerging diseases, and strengthen the local medical system and preventive medicine system to enhance treatment capacity in medical facilities at all levels.

The sector has set a target of 93.2 per cent health insurance coverage, 12 doctors for every 10,000 people, and 32 beds for every 10,000 people this year.