A patient is treated in Hà Nội's rural district of Mê Linh. Sending medical workers to grassroots establishments helps improve the health care service. Photo chinhphu.vn

HÀ NỘI – The Ministry of Health has been asked to realise the project of sending 1,000 doctors to grassroots-level medical establishments.

The request came from Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính during the Government regular meeting with ministries on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Health (MoH) was also asked to complete the submission, report and draft Resolution of the Politburo on protection, health care, population work and development.

PM Chính also directed ministries of Health, and Education and Training to transfer human resource and facility management of medical and education establishments over to local departments.

At the same time, the PM also directed the ministries of Health, and Education and Training to do the same, devolving the management of employees and facilities to localities.

The ministries should just focus on performing State management tasks and providing professional direction and support throughout, all the way from the central to the grassroots levels.

At the meeting, Health Minister Đào Hồng Lan informed the ministries that at present, epidemics, including COVID-19, are under control.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has not yet issued any recommendations regarding current covid cases, therefore, people should not be worried or panic, Lan said.

Moving forward, the health sector will strengthen coordination with relevant agencies to develop the pharmaceutical industry, standardise the implementation of policies and resolve difficulties to attract investment and develop drug and vaccine production in a sustainable and long-term manner to meet public healthcare needs, she said.

Regarding counterfeit and sub-standard products in pharmaceuticals and functional foods, the minister emphasised that one month after launching the peak campaign against fraud and low quality goods, under the Prime Minister’s directive, on June 15, a comprehensive review must be conducted to evaluate results and propose effective measures for the next phase.

Currently, the MoH is working with other ministries and sectors to combat counterfeit and substandard drugs, cosmetics and functional foods. Several violations have been uncovered and strictly dealt with, serving as a wake-up call across entire regions.

The minister proposed the need for clear, detailed decrees guiding the decentralisation and delegation of authority and responsibility, aligning with the principle that: "localities decide, localities implement and localities must be held accountable".

“In reality, post-market inspection responsibilities have been assigned to local authorities, but when problems arise, the Ministry of Health is still held accountable. Therefore, we need specific guidance on authority and responsibility so that all levels, ministries and sectors can act in unison,” Lan said. VNS