Minh Châu Commune organises multiple rounds of health examinations, ensuring all residents received periodic check-ups. — Photo kinhtedothi.vn

HÀ NỘI — Minh Châu, the only island commune of Hà Nội, has become the first in the country to complete electronic health records for all its residents – a significant step toward improving healthcare services for the local community.

Minh Châu Commune is located at the junction of the Red and Đà rivers. With a total area of 561 hectares, including 253 hectares of agricultural land, the commune is home to 1,313 households and nearly 6,600 residents.

Primarily relying on waterway transport, the islet’s geographical conditions have long been a challenge to development.

Recently, however, in line with Hà Nội’s broader push to streamline the administrative apparatus and improve governance effectiveness, Minh Châu has shifted from a 'management' mindset to a 'service-oriented' approach, particularly regarding healthcare.

Speaking to Kinh tế & Đô thị (Economic & Urban Affairs) newspaper, Nguyễn Chung Minh, a 71-year-old resident who attended a free medical check-up at the commune health station, said: “The efforts of the city and local authorities have brought clear changes to Minh Châu.

“We feel satisfied and reassured, benefiting from travel and healthcare support policies that improve our living conditions in the long term.”

Since the beginning of 2025, Minh Châu Commune has taken the lead in rolling out a comprehensive healthcare programme for its entire population, aligning with the Party’s direction on providing annual health check-ups for every citizen, according to Minh Châu People’s Committee vice chairman Đinh Tuấn Anh.

He said: “Under this initiative, Minh Châu residents received general internal medicine check-ups, cardiovascular and respiratory screening, neurological and musculoskeletal assessments, digestive and oncology screening, endocrine and nutrition consultations, vaccination advice and free medication.

“Medical results and consultations are stored in the commune’s public health monitoring system to support preventive care and routine health management.”

In 2025, the commune organised five rounds of health examinations, ensuring all residents received periodic check-ups. Priority was given to the elderly, policy beneficiary families and disadvantaged households.

Lê Thị Lộc, director of the Minh Châu Health Station, said that under the leadership of local authorities, the commune has implemented comprehensive measures for preventive medicine, primary healthcare, population and family planning, food safety and other target programmes.

Disease surveillance and prevention efforts have been maintained regularly and promptly, while universal health check-ups and expanded immunisation programmes have been rolled out.

Clinical services at the health station have also seen improvements, adhering to professional regulations and meeting residents’ primary healthcare needs.

“In 2025, the commune’s health station handled tens of thousands of consultations, a large proportion covered by health insurance," Lộc said.

“Comprehensive health management records for the entire population have been fully updated and increasingly integrated with the application of technology and digital transformation in grassroots healthcare.”

After eight months under the new local government model, Minh Châu became the first commune in the country to provide healthcare services and establish electronic medical records for all of its residents.

Nguyễn Đức Tiến, Party Secretary and People’s Committee chairman of the commune, noted that the commune’s leadership has identified healthcare, environmental improvement, enhanced living standards and social welfare as top priorities.

“Minh Châu does not view this as solely the responsibility of the health sector, but of the entire political system," he said.

"Universal health check-ups convey the message of a service-oriented government that stands by the people, understands them and acts in their interest.” — VNS