Residents in Hồ Tràm commune get free health check-ups on June 1. Photo baotintuc.vn

HCM CITY — The HCM City Department of Health has launched a programme to enhance the healthcare capacity of regional medical centres in the city.

The Hồ Tràm Regional Medical Centre is the first one to receive professional and technical support from four hospitals, including the Children’s Hospital 1, An Binh Hospital, Thủ Đức Regional General Hospital, and Bà Rịa Eye Hospial.

On June 1, ten doctors and nurses from the four hospitals began their rotational assignments at the Hồ Tràm Regional Medical Centre.

During their assignment, the doctors will participate in medical examinations and treatment and directly train local medical staff on-site.

Tăng Chí Thượng, director of the department, said that the programme is aimed at developing the Hồ Tràm Regional Medical Centre into a hospital with sufficient capacity to meet the healthcare needs of residents and tourists.

It will also help build a healthcare network across the entire city after its merger with Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu and Bình Dương provinces, Thượng said.

The rapid development in tourism, services, and population in the Hồ Tràm area has resulted in the growing demand for healthcare, he said.

Currently, the Hồ Tràm Regional Medical Centre is still short of staff in several specialties.

Four hospitals will be responsible for different specialties, including pediatrics, emergency and intensive care, internal medicine, surgery, orthopedics, and ophthalmology.

The city’s health sector has provided professional and technical support to medical facilities in the Bà Rịa – Vũng Tàu area, such as Vũng Tàu General Hospital, Bà Rịa General Hospital, and Côn Đảo Special Zone Military – Civilian Medical Centre. —VNS