Deputy Prime Minister Lê Thành Long chairs the meeting on public investment disbursement on Thursday. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Deputy Prime Minister Lê Thành Long has urged ministries and provinces to accelerate public investment disbursement, warning that spending in health and education sectors is falling behind national targets and could undermine growth plans.

Chairing a meeting on Thursday, Long said national public investment spending must reach 100 per cent in 2025 to support economic growth of at least 8 per cent and pave the way for double-digit expansion in 2026.

He noted that despite repeated directives, two key ministries – Health and Education and Training – remain behind the national average.

The Ministry of Education and Training has disbursed just over 28 per cent of its allocated capital this year, while the Ministry of Health has reached only 20 per cent.

Major hospital projects, including branch facilities for the National Obstetrics Hospital, Bạch Mai Hospital and Việt Đức Hospital, have fallen behind schedule due to slow design approvals, fire safety certification, environmental permits and medical equipment procurement.

Long said many legal and procedural obstacles had been resolved months ago, adding that disparities between ministries show that subjective factors are now the main cause of delays.

Deputy PM Lê Thành Long visits and inspects a Việt Đức Hospital facility in late October.

He urged both ministries to coordinate closely with finance, agriculture and ethnic affairs agencies as well as others to avoid duplicate tasks under the national target programmes, and to move stalled projects forward before the end of the year.

The meeting also reviewed progress in the southern province of An Giang, which is preparing a slate of major projects ahead of the 2027 APEC Summit.

Chairman of the An Giang People's Committee Hồ Văn Mừng said the province has largely stabilised operations under its new two-tier local government model, adding that earlier administrative snags have been resolved.

Economic growth reached 7.85 per cent in the first nine months, the highest in the Mekong Delta region, though still short of the province’s original scenario. Full-year growth is expected to reach around 8.17 per cent.

Tourism revenue rose by 78 per cent year-on-year, surpassing annual targets, while industrial output and retail sales also outperformed expectations.

The province is accelerating work on the Châu Đốc-Cần Thơ-Sóc Trăng Expressway after the Prime Minister ordered the schedule shortened by 14 months. He said An Giang aims to open the route to traffic on December 19.

A section of the Châu Đốc–Cần Thơ–Sóc Trăng Expressway is paved with asphalt in November.

Key projects serving the APEC Summit, including an expanded international airport, a new conference centre and major arterial roads, are meeting or exceeding schedule after investors and contractors were finalised, he added.

An Giang has disbursed roughly 63 per cent of its public investment capital so far this year, above the national average. The province has pledged to hit 100 per cent by year-end.

Health sector projects remain the biggest pressure point. The Ministry of Health estimates that its disbursement will surge in December, potentially reaching 64.8 per cent.

Bạch Mai and Việt Đức Hospital facilities in Ninh Bình are now expected to complete major construction components by December 19, timed to coincide with nationwide inaugurations ahead of the Party’s 14th National Congress.

Authorities hope to bring part of the facilities into use shortly after.

Deputy PM Long said the Government remains committed to its 2025 goals and that ministries cannot afford further slips. Clear metrics, such as disbursement rates and provincial growth figures, will be used to evaluate senior officials.

He praised An Giang for outperforming the national average and urged ministries to support the province as it prepares for APEC. Most policy bottlenecks facing An Giang have already been resolved, he said, adding that the remaining challenge is execution.

"I am confident An Giang can meet and surpass its 8 per cent growth target in 2025 and reach double-digit growth in 2026," the leader said. — VNS