Resolution No. 18/2008/QH12 on intensifying the implementation of policies and laws to promote socialization for improving the quality of healthcare for the people.

RESOLUTION

On intensifying the implementation of policies and laws on socialization to improve

the quality of health care for the people

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THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM

SESSION XII, MEETING NO. 3

Pursuant to the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in 1992 as amended and supplemented by Resolution number 51/2001/QH10;

Pursuant to the Law on Health Care for the People;

Pursuant to the Law on the Supervision Activities of the National Assembly;

After considering Report No. 65/BC-CP dated May 5, 2008 of the Government; Report on the Results of Supervision No. 118/BC-UBTVQH12 dated May 13, 2008 of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly on the implementation of policies and laws on socializing health care work for the people and the opinions of National Assembly deputies;

RESOLUTION:

Article 1. Agreeing with the main contents of the Government's report and the Standing Committee of the National Assembly's report on the implementation of policies and laws on socializing health care work for the people; recognizing the efforts of the Government, local authorities at all levels, relevant agencies and organizations, medical staff, and contributions from the people and the international community in the health care sector for the people.

Article 2. Increase the annual budget allocation for the health sector, ensuring that the growth rate of health spending exceeds the average growth rate of the state budget. Allocate at least 30% of the health budget for preventive health care. Pay attention to allocating the budget for health care for war veterans, the poor, farmers, ethnic minorities, and people living in economically and socially disadvantaged areas. Continue to allow the issuance of government bonds to invest in upgrading district general hospitals, multi-district general hospitals, commune health stations, tuberculosis hospitals, mental health hospitals, cancer hospitals, pediatric hospitals, and some provincial general hospitals in mountainous and difficult regions; complete the investment in upgrading district general hospitals and multi-district general hospitals by 2010. Implement measures to effectively control the use of the budget for health care.

Article 3. The Government shall undertake the following tasks:

1. Promptly submit to the National Assembly and the Standing Committee of the National Assembly for promulgation of laws, ordinances, and resolutions to perfect the legal system serving the construction of a healthcare system oriented towards comprehensive health care for all citizens based on combining public and private healthcare, with public healthcare playing a core role; promptly review, amend, and supplement legal documents within its authority to accelerate the implementation of socialization in health care work for the people;

2. Synchronize the implementation of various measures to enhance the effectiveness of health care promotion and mobilization activities, policies, and laws on socializing health care work for the people; mobilize and create favorable conditions for international organizations, non-governmental organizations, charitable, and humanitarian activities in health care work for the people;

3. Continue to organize the restructuring of public health facilities, reform their operational mechanisms, financial management, and human resource management to improve the quality and ensure fairness in health care for the people. Organize the implementation of preferential policies regarding land, credit, and taxes as prescribed by law to encourage and mobilize resources for the development and expansion of private health facilities;

4. Strengthen the effectiveness, discipline, and strictness in state management of health care; drastically reform medical examination and treatment procedures to reduce inconvenience for the people; implement legal provisions on drug price management and private medical practice management; enhance the ethics and responsibility of medical staff, and strictly handle violations of health care laws;

5. Mobilize social resources to diversify and expand the scale of training for health personnel. Supplement and perfect special preferential policies for medical staff, especially those working in mountainous, border, island, ethnic minority, and other difficult areas, and preventive medical staff;

6. Amend and supplement regulations on hospital fees based on accurately calculating service costs for patients, including state support funds; accelerate the progress of universal health insurance, ensuring the rights of health insurance participants and balancing the Health Insurance Fund.

Article 4. The Standing Committee of the National Assembly, the Committee for Social Affairs, the Ethnic Council, other Committees of the National Assembly, Delegations of National Assembly Members, and People's Councils at all levels within their respective duties and powers shall supervise the implementation of this Resolution.

This Resolution was adopted by the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Session XII, Meeting No. 3, on June 3, 2008./.