The HCM City Department of Health wants an outlay of VNĐ500 billion to increase the salaries of public medical workers, especially nurses, who are quitting in droves. Photo: tuoitre.vn

HCM CITY — With more and more nurses in HCM City public medical facilities quitting their jobs, the local health authorities are asking for VNĐ500 billion (US$20.7 million) to increase salaries for healthcare workers.

According to the director of the city Department of Health, Tăng Chí Thượng, medical workers at public hospitals send in resignation letters every day.

The most pressing issue the public healthcare sector faces is the lack of nursing personnel, who frequently cite low pay and overwork as reasons for quitting.

Most nurses who quit say they could no longer work in a stressful environment, get exposed to infectious diseases on a regular basis and work frequent night shifts for a salary of just VNĐ7-9 million (US$295-380) a month.

In 2021 and in the first six months of 2022, more than 2,000 medical workers, mainly doctors and nurses, quit.

The ideal ratio is three nurses to one doctor, but currently there are only 1.5 to two nurses.

This would lead to a decrease in the quality of patient care, Thượng said.

Health authorities have proposed several short-term solutions, including raising nurses’ salaries and bringing back retired employees.

Thượng also proposed subsidising tuition fees for people studying to become nurses to encourage more people to adopt the career. — VNS