Deputy Minister of Health Đỗ Xuân Tuyên speaks at the 2026 Private Healthcare Development forum, which started in Hà Nội on Thursday. — VNA/VNS Photo Đinh Hằng

HÀ NỘI — Deputy Minister of Health Đỗ Xuân Tuyên on Thursday urged the private healthcare sector to improve its service quality and strive for a greater role in the national healthcare system.

He was speaking at the opening session of the 2026 Private Healthcare Development Forum, held in Hà Nội until Friday by the Việt Nam Private Hospital Association (VPHA).

The two-day event focuses on finding measures to refine the institutional framework, mobilise resources and improve the quality of the private healthcare sector.

Speaking at the event, deputy health minister Tuyên noted that the public and non-public healthcare sectors are two inseparable parts of Việt Nam’s healthcare system.

“These two sectors are not in opposition but encourage and support one another, working together toward the shared goal of caring for, protecting and improving the people's health,” he said.

While they may differ in terms of capital sources, governance models and service delivery methods, the two sectors meet the same requirements regarding professional standards, service quality, patient safety and legal compliance, he stressed.

He added that Resolution No. 72-NQ/TW of the Politburo has called for the establishment of large-scale, high-quality private hospitals with advanced technical capabilities.

It also calls for increased participation of the private healthcare sector in disease prevention, scientific research, workforce training and the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment.

"Private healthcare should not be viewed solely in terms of medical examination and treatment,” Tuyên said.

“The non-public sector can participate more broadly in disease prevention, treatment, population health and social welfare.”

Highlighting the private healthcare sector’s advantages in capital sources, decision-making speed, management flexibility and access to new technology, the deputy health minister noted that many private hospitals have acquired specialised medical techniques, cutting-edge technology and high-quality personnel in recent years.

However, it currently accounts for only about seven per cent of the total beds in the national healthcare system, while the target for 2030 is 15 per cent.

“Therefore, the future development of private healthcare must shift decisively from scaling up to enhancing quality, not simply pursuing quantity,” Tuyên said.

Alongside investments in facilities, the sector must also place particular emphasis on workforce development, scientific research and innovation, he added.

The Ministry of Health will work closely with other ministries and agencies to refine the institutional framework and financial mechanisms, and establish quality standards to foster a transparent development environment for the private healthcare sector, he said.

But the sector must make sure these preferential policies are translated into improved management capacity, service quality, professional accountability and patient safety.

"Whether the investment comes from the State budget or private enterprises, and whether the facility is public or private, the ultimate goal remains ensuring that the public has access to quality healthcare services and safe care that meet their satisfaction," Tuyên said.

VPHA chariman Nguyễn Văn Đệ reiterated the Politburo’s mandates for the promotion of the private healthcare sector's development in Resolution 72, noting that it’s a crucial political foundation for the sector to continue growing and making substantive contributions to the national healthcare system.

There are currently nearly 450 private hospitals and over 50,000 private clinics nationwide, staffed by tens of thousands of medical professionals and technicians, he added.

"The private healthcare sector has helped alleviate the burden on the public system and brought advanced techniques and modern technology closer to patients,” Đệ said.

“It has also created jobs, contributed to the State budget and gradually raised the profile of Vietnamese healthcare in the region by attracting international patients seeking treatment.” — VNS