Deputy Minister of Health Nguyễn Tri Thức chairs the meeting with Ministry of Health departments to accelerate the digital transformation. Photo suckhoedoisong.vn

HÀ NỘI – Carrying out projects aimed at completing the digital transformation of Việt Nam's health sector will be crucial in helping the country address issues and provide online public services to meet the needs of citizens and businesses in the new era, said Deputy Minister of Health Nguyễn Tri Thức.

Thức made the statement while chairing a November 18 meeting with Ministry of Health units on promoting the digital transformation and sharing of medical data with the National Population Database, as outlined in the Central Steering Committee's Plan 02-KH/ dated June 19, 2025 and the Prime Minister's Project 06/CP, respectively.

Under the Central Steering Committee for the development of science, technology, innovation and digital transformation, Plan 02 promotes integrated, synchronous, rapid and efficient digital transformation in line with the reorganisation of the political system, while Project 06 deals with linking medical information to the population database.

Representatives from key departments and units attended the meeting, including the Department of Science, Technology and Training; the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management; the Department of Preventive Medicine; the Department of Social Protection; the Department of Maternal and Child Health; the Department of Traditional Medicine Management; the Ministry Office; the National Health Information Centre; the Food Safety Administration; and the Drug Administration of Việt Nam.

Based on their assigned functions and tasks, the departments reported to the deputy minister on the progress of implementing the plan and project.

Department tasks

The National Health Information Centre (NHIC) reported on the progress of updating data and administrative procedure indicators from subordinate units to complete 12 sectoral databases in the healthcare system, and to prepare for integration with the National Public Service Portal under the principles of accuracy, completeness, cleanliness, synchronisation, unification and shared use.

At present, four databases have been fully connected with the Ministry of Public Security database.

The Ministry of Health is upgrading seven additional databases to ensure a unified connection with the Public Security Ministry, while also upgrading two interfaces for one database, according to local government requirements. The ministry is working to accelerate all related tasks to complete this work by the end of the year.

However, at the meeting, the NHIC requested that departments finalise technical and professional procedures so the centre can design a unified set of administrative procedure data for the entire sector.

The Department of Traditional Medicine Management proposed that ministry leaders provide guidance on standardising the medicine registration code system in coordination with the Drug Administration to ensure consistency when building the national pharmaceutical database.

All units have completed data compilation and submitted it to the NHIC, awaiting the legal procedures required for integrated and synchronous connection with the National Public Service Portal.

At the meeting, delegates also proposed solutions to quickly complete shared platforms, standardise and connect major databases and enhance the substantive quality of online public services, providing a solid foundation for the next stage of development.

They highlighted the need for coordination from other ministries and sectors to help the Ministry of Health fulfil its overarching political responsibilities.

Regarding the development of online public services, reports at the meeting showed that relevant ministry agencies are working to upgrade the information system for handling administrative procedures.

Greater coordination needed

Concluding the meeting, Thức acknowledged the efforts to accelerate progress at all units. However, to meet the objectives of Plan 02 and Project 06, greater coordination is required among departments and units to address obstacles.

He directed the NHIC to draft official correspondence and prepare a detailed progress list, with bold and underlined notation for departments that have not completed required tasks, to be reported to the health minister.

For the two databases belonging to the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Maternal and Child Health, currently operated under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Thức assigned the Department of Science, Technology and Training to prepare an official letter advising the ministry’s leaders on working with the Ministry of Home Affairs to unify management and development methods.

Thức also commented on the Health Data Coordination System, one of the notable results of Project 06.

The system is currently being piloted at Hà Nội’s Bạch Mai Hospital, with healthcare facilities in Bắc Ninh and Thái Nguyên, and at HCM City’s Chợ Rẫy Hospital, with medical facilities in Bình Dương and An Giang.

He assigned the NHIC to consolidate information and advise the Ministry’s leaders on coordinating with the Ministry of Public Security, hospitals and pilot localities to organise a meeting to review the outcomes. VNS