Hospitals and health centres in HCM City’s districts and wards last year attracted more patients, reducing overcrowding at central and city-level hospitals, according to the city’s Department of Health. — Photo suckhoedoisong.vn

HCM CITY — Hospitals and health centres in HCM City’s districts and wards last year attracted more patients, reducing overcrowding at central and city-level hospitals, according to the city’s Department of Health.

The number of outpatients at district-level hospitals in the city last year increased by nearly 21 per cent compared to 2015, thanks to the department’s programmes to improve quality.

The department’s report, released last Saturday, showed that the number of inpatients had increased by more than 10 per cent compared to 2015.

Of these, Thủ Đức District Hospital had the largest number of patients with more than 4,000 a day, followed by Tân Phú District Hospital with more than 3,000 patients a day, and hospitals in districts 2, Bình Thạnh and Bình Tân with  more than 2,000 patients a day.

Over the last several years, the department has sent doctors from city-level hospitals to offer training to doctors at district-level hospitals, Asso Prof Dr Tăng Chí Thượng, the department’s deputy head, said at a meeting last week.

The city has also allocated a portion of its budget to develop facilities and equipment for district-level hospitals, he said.

In addition, establishing family doctor clinics at district-level hospitals has helped attract more patients, he added.

Leaders of district-level hospitals such as Thủ Đức, Tân Phú, Củ Chi, Nhà Bè, Bình Chánh, 2, and 12 have set up satellite clinics at health centres located in wards in their areas.

The first satellite general clinic set up in Bình Chiểu Ward by Thủ Đức District Hospital saw an increase of patients from 168 in January to 3,621 in December.

Thượng said the department continued to develop a system of general clinics in more district wards, with human resources and equipment given top priority.

Nguyễn Thị Thu, deputy chairwoman of the city People’s Committee, said that satellite clinics should be set up at wards with a high number of workers and in outlying rural areas.

The city is encouraging investment from the private sector in health centres at the grassroots level to ensure implementation of national healthcare programmes, Thu said. — VNS