Circular No. 20/2025/TT-BYT guides the functions, tasks, and authorities of specialized health agencies under provincial People's Committees and city-level People's Committees directly under the central government, and People's Committees of communes, wards, and special administrative-economic zones.

CIRCULAR

GUIDELINES ON THE FUNCTIONS, TASKS, AND LIMITATIONS OF SPECIALIZED AGENCIES FOR HEALTH UNDER THE PEOPLE'S COMMITTEES OF PROVINCES AND CENTRALLY-GOVERNED CITIES AND THE PEOPLE'S COMMITTEES OF COMMUNES, WARD, AND SPECIAL ZONES UNDER PROVINCES AND CENTRALLY-GOVERNED CITIES

Pursuant to the Law on Government Organization 2025;

Pursuant to Resolution No. 190/2025/QH15 dated February 19, 2025 of the National Assembly on handling certain issues related to the restructuring of the state apparatus;

Pursuant to Decree No. 42/2025/NĐ-CP dated February 27, 2025 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Health;

Pursuant to Decree No. 150/2025/NĐ-CP dated June 12, 2025 of the Government on organizing specialized agencies under the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-governed cities and the People's Committees of communes, wards, and special zones under provinces and centrally-governed cities;

Pursuant to Circular No. 68/CV-BCĐ dated May 28, 2025 of the Steering Committee for Administrative Unit Reorganization at all levels and Local Government Model Building with Two Levels regarding guidance on reorganization and restructuring public service units at local levels when implementing the two-level local government model;

The phrase "or examination" is abolished pursuant to Clause 6, Article 8 of Circular No. 15/2025/TT-BVHTTDL dated November 25, 2025, of the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism amending and supplementing certain articles of Circulars prescribing job codes, qualification standards, and salary grades for civil servants in the heritage culture, library, grassroots cultural activities, sports, fine arts, art performance, film, and cultural propaganda sectors, which takes effect from January 15, 2026.

The Minister of Health issues this Circular guiding the functions, tasks, and limitations of specialized agencies for health under the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-governed cities (hereinafter referred to collectively as provincial level) and the People's Committees of communes, wards, and special zones under provinces and centrally-governed cities (hereinafter referred to collectively as commune level).

PART I
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

Article 1. Legal Status

1. The Department of Health is a specialized agency under the People's Committee of the provincial level, having legal personality, its own seal and separate account as prescribed by law.

2. The Department of Health is subject to the direction and management over organization, staffing, and operations by the People's Committee of the provincial level; it is also subject to the direction, inspection, and professional guidance by the Ministry of Health.

Article 2. Functions

The Department of Health has the function of advising and assisting the People's Committee of the provincial level in state management in the field of health including: preventive healthcare; diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation; medical, forensic, and forensic psychiatric examination; maternal and child health; population; prevention and control of social evils (excluding drug rehabilitation and post-rehabilitation drug management); management and utilization of the Child Welfare Fund; social assistance; traditional medicine and pharmacy; pharmaceuticals and cosmetics; food safety; medical equipment; health insurance according to the provisions of law.

Article 3. Tasks and Limitations

1. Submit to the provincial People's Committee:

a) Drafting resolutions of the Provincial People's Council and decisions of the People's Committee of the provincial level related to fields within the scope of management of the Department of Health and other documents assigned by the People's Committee of the provincial level;

b) Drafting plans, programs, projects, and measures to organize the implementation of tasks related to the development of industries and fields within the scope of management of the Department of Health;

c) Drafting decisions specifying the functions, tasks, limitations, and organizational structure of the Department of Health; drafting decisions specifying the functions, tasks, limitations, and organizational structure of the district bureaus and subordinate public service units of the Department of Health;

d) Drafting decisions on the socialization of activities providing public services in the health sector within the authority of the People's Committee of the provincial level;

đ) Drafting decisions on decentralizing and delegating tasks within the scope of state management of the Department of Health according to the provisions of law.

2. Submitting draft documents within the authority to issue by the Chairman of the People's Committee of the provincial level as assigned.

3. Implementing legal regulatory documents, strategies, planning, programs, projects, and other documents on the health sector after approval; disseminating information, promoting, guiding, popularizing, and educating the law and monitoring the enforcement of laws on fields within the scope of state management of the Department of Health.

4. Organizing the implementation of the review, issuance, reissuance, extension, adjustment, suspension, revocation of permits, certificates, and confirmation letters within the scope of management of the Department of Health according to the division of authority and according to the provisions of law. Implementing management and supervision of the quality of services, products, and goods within the scope of state management of the Department of Health according to the provisions of law.

5. On preventive healthcare:

a) Guiding and organizing the implementation of legal regulatory documents; professional regulations, national technical standards on preventing and controlling infectious diseases and HIV/AIDS, non-communicable diseases, occupational diseases, accidents and injuries; determining drug addiction status, prevention and treatment of opiate and other drug addiction; environmental health, school health, hygiene and labor health; community nutrition; border health quarantine; management of waste within the premises of healthcare facilities; management of chemicals, insecticides, and disinfectants used in household and healthcare sectors according to the provisions of law;

b) Guiding and organizing the implementation of surveillance of infectious diseases and HIV/AIDS, non-communicable diseases, diseases of unknown cause, risk factors affecting health, and other public health issues; early detection and handling of infectious diseases causing epidemics; implementing notifications of epidemic situations according to the provisions of law; advising the People's Committee of the provincial level on declaring epidemics and lifting epidemic declarations according to the provisions of law;

c) Guiding and organizing the implementation of vaccination and immunization activities and the use of medical supplies for target groups according to the provisions of law; organizing the receipt of applications, and publishing information about facilities that have been certified as meeting the conditions for vaccination on the website of the Department of Health according to the provisions of law;

d) Announcing, reannouncing facilities meeting the conditions, suspending, and canceling the certification of facilities operating drug substitution therapy for opiate addiction according to the provisions of law; publishing a list of facilities that have self-certified as meeting biosafety level I and II standards on the website of the Department of Health according to the provisions of law;

d) Manage, guide, and organize the implementation of labor environment monitoring activities at workplaces; assess, control, manage health-hazard factors at work sites; establish a database on labor environment monitoring activities, announce organizations qualified to conduct labor environment monitoring activities and suspend operations of organizations conducting labor environment monitoring activities in accordance with the law; advise the provincial People's Committee to issue local technical standards on clean water quality for domestic use and inspect and supervise their implementation as prescribed;

e) Guide, within their authority, occupational hygiene management work, health examinations for workers, occupational disease detection, and workplace health management; manage training for certification of professional qualifications in occupational health, first aid training at workplaces in accordance with the law;

g) Serve as the focal point for tobacco harm reduction, alcohol and beer harm reduction activities in accordance with the law.

6. On medical examination, treatment, rehabilitation; medical appraisal, forensic medical appraisal, forensic psychiatric appraisal:

a) Guide and implement legal regulatory documents, specialized technical regulations, national technical standards on medical examination, treatment, rehabilitation, medical appraisal, forensic medical appraisal, forensic psychiatric appraisal according to the分级管理规定和法律规定；

b) Appraise and classify specialized technical levels for medical examination and treatment facilities and approve the technical procedures that can be carried out at such facilities within their jurisdiction and according to the law;

c) Guide and perform tasks related to protecting and caring for the health of cadres under their management according to the law.

7. On mothers and children:

a) Guide and implement legal regulatory documents, strategies, policies, programs, plans, national targets, indicators on mothers and children; specialized regulations, national technical standards on reproductive health services, child protection services;

b) Guide and implement counseling, reproductive health care; nutrition, health care for mothers and children; pre-natal and post-natal screening, diagnosis, and treatment; models, projects on mother and child protection; Children's Month of Action; children's participation in issues concerning them; care and nurturing of children in special circumstances; prevention and control of accidents and injuries among children;

c) Coordinate the implementation of children's rights in accordance with the characteristics and conditions of the locality; propose resource allocation and mobilization to ensure the implementation of children's rights and protection of children in the locality; organize and manage the operation of child protection service facilities within their authority; intervene and support cases where children are harmed or at risk of violence, exploitation, abandonment, and children in special circumstances;

d) Monitor and evaluate the implementation of children's rights as stipulated by law; propose the integration of children-related goals and indicators when localities develop economic and social development plans; prepare annual or ad hoc reports on the implementation of children's rights and resolution of children's issues in the locality.

8. On population:

a) Guide and implement legal regulatory documents, strategies, policies, programs, plans, projects, models, systems of targets and indicators on population; specialized regulations, national technical standards on population services;

b) Implement state management over population size, structure, and quality within the administrative area. Advise on measures to adjust population size appropriately, control sex ratio at birth, improve population quality, and adapt to population aging;

c) Take the lead and coordinate inter-departmental efforts in population work; integrate population development content into the planning and development of local economic and social plans.

9. On social assistance and prevention of social evils:

a) Guide and implement legal regulatory documents, policies, programs, plans on social assistance, social pension benefits, funeral cost support, social work, elderly work, disability work, and other forms of social assistance;

b) Guide and implement legal regulatory documents, policies, programs, plans on preventing and combating prostitution and supporting victims of trafficking, including those undergoing identification as trafficking victims;

c) Guide and implement emergency social assistance policies to address the aftermath of natural disasters, epidemics, or other force majeure events;

d) Guide and implement regulations on the establishment conditions, procedures, registration, and issuance of operating permits for social assistance facilities and disabled care facilities as prescribed by law;

đ) Guide and implement activities related to nurturing and caring for individuals at social assistance facilities, elderly care facilities, and disabled care facilities;

e) Guide and implement screening for signs of trafficking among workers; reception and implementation of medical and psychological support measures for trafficking victims, those undergoing identification as trafficking victims, and support for trafficking victims to reintegrate into society;

g) Guide and implement the integration of anti-prostitution and anti-trafficking content into social evil prevention programs, child protection programs, women's advancement programs, and other local economic and social development programs.

10. On traditional medicine:

a) Guide and implement mechanisms, policies, legal regulatory documents on inheriting, preserving, developing, modernizing traditional medicine; specialized regulations, national technical standards on traditional medicine; combining traditional medicine with modern medicine;

b) Coordinate with relevant agencies and units to implement measures for the preservation, rational and sustainable utilization, and development of medicinal plant cultivation areas.

11. On pharmaceuticals and cosmetics:

a) Guide, organize the implementation of legal normative documents, specialized regulations, national technical standards on pharmaceuticals, cosmetics; national standards on drugs;

b) Implement management over drug quality, raw materials for drugs; suspend circulation, recall drugs, raw materials for drugs; inspect and supervise the recall and handling of drugs, raw materials for drugs, cosmetics within the scope of management according to the provisions of the law;

c) Advise the provincial People's Committee to implement tendering, purchasing of drugs in accordance with the provisions of the law and implement solutions to supply drugs for medical examination and treatment, disaster relief, and disaster response;

d) Direct and guide the organization to implement clinical pharmacy activities ensuring safety and effectiveness according to the provisions of the law.

12. Regarding food safety:

a) Take the lead in drafting and submitting to the competent authority for promulgation of local technical standards on food safety for specific food products managed by the health sector according to the law;

b) Take the lead and coordinate with relevant agencies to manage food safety, investigate and handle cases of food poisoning in the locality; monitor and inspect conditions ensuring food safety for small-scale food production and trading establishments, street food vendors, food service businesses, food safety at markets in the locality and other entities under the jurisdictional division.

13. Regarding medical equipment and healthcare facilities:

a) Guide and organize the implementation of legal provisions on the management of medical equipment and healthcare facilities in the province;

b) Publicly disclose information about medical equipment, about production and trading establishments of medical equipment in the province according to the law.

14. Regarding health insurance:

a) Guide and organize the implementation of legal provisions on health insurance in the province within the scope of authority;

b) Take the lead and coordinate with the social insurance agency at the local level to implement policies and laws on health insurance in the province.

15. Regarding training, development, and human resource development in healthcare:

a) Build and submit to the competent authority for promulgation of incentive systems for developing healthcare human resources in the province and issue plans for training and developing civil servants, public officials, and workers within the scope of management;

b) Organize the implementation of plans for training and developing healthcare human resources and policies and incentives for developing healthcare human resources in the province;

c) Manage training and development institutions, teaching staff, and training programs and materials for civil servants, public officials, and workers within the scope of authority.

16. Regarding communication and provision of healthcare information:

a) Implement promotional communication and mobilize support from the Party committee, government, political-social organizations, and the active participation of the people regarding health protection, care, and improvement of public health in the locality;

b) Guide and organize the implementation of health education and communication work for the people; moral and professional education and patriotic movement, learning and practicing the moral example and style of President Ho Chi Minh for healthcare cadres and staff in the locality;

c) Serve as the focal point for disseminating and popularizing policies and laws, providing information, and managing information in the healthcare field within the scope of authority; coordinate with relevant agencies to handle public relations crises in the industry and field under the local jurisdiction; implement press release and information provision regulations in the healthcare field according to the law.

17. Assist the provincial People's Committee in managing and using the Child Welfare Fund according to regulations; exercise state management within the scope of authority over enterprises, collective economic organizations, private economic organizations, associations, and non-governmental organizations participating in healthcare activities in the locality according to the law.

18. Organize the implementation of receiving files, processing administrative procedures according to the assignment, delegation, and authorization of the competent authority according to the law.

19. Inspect and handle violations within the scope of authority against organizations and individuals in implementing legal provisions on industries and fields under the management of the Department of Health according to the law and according to the assignment or authorization of the provincial People's Committee.

20. Implement administrative reform contents in the healthcare field according to the goals, tasks, and solutions of the provincial People's Committee's administrative reform program.

21. Implement international cooperation in the healthcare field according to the assignment or authorization of the provincial People's Committee.

22. Provide professional guidance and business operations within the healthcare field to specialized agencies under the municipal People's Committee and related units.

23. Organize research, application of scientific and technological achievements and innovation; build and manage electronic health records; build, manage, maintain, update, ensure security and safety of information systems, databases, digital transformation serving state management and professional operations in the healthcare field according to the law.

24. Organize the implementation of citizen reception, complaint resolution, anti-corruption, thrift, and waste prevention according to the law.

25. Specify the functions, tasks, and powers of organizations under the Department of Health in accordance with the functions, tasks, and powers of the Department of Health.

26. Manage organizational structure, civil servant quota, civil servant grade structure, job positions, public official structure by profession and number of employees in subordinate units; implement salary systems and incentive policies, rewards, punishments, and performance evaluations for civil servants, public officials, and workers under the management of the Department of Health according to the law and according to the assignment, delegation, or authorization of the provincial People's Committee.

27. Guide and inspect the implementation of self-management mechanisms for public service units under the industry and field according to the law; manage the activities of public and non-public service units under the management of the industry and field.

28. Manage and be responsible for financial and asset matters assigned in accordance with the provisions of the law.

29. Carry out information and periodic and ad hoc reporting on the implementation of assigned tasks to the provincial People's Committee and the Ministry of Health.

30. Actively coordinate with inter-sectoral organizations at the provincial level according to their respective fields of responsibility; perform tasks according to the division of authority and delegated powers, and other tasks assigned by the provincial People's Committee in accordance with the provisions of the law.

Chapter II
HEALTH SPECIALIZED ORGANIZATION BELONGING TO THE PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE AT THE COMMUNE LEVEL

Article 4. Legal Status

The Culture and Social Affairs Office is a specialized agency under the People's Committee at the commune level, providing advice and assistance to the People's Committee at the commune level in implementing state management in the field of health and other fields as prescribed by law.

The Culture and Social Affairs Office is subject to the direction and management of the organizational structure, job positions, civil servant quota, civil servant grade structure, and work of the People's Committee at the commune level; it is also subject to the direction, inspection, and professional guidance in the field of health from the Department of Health.

Article 5. Functions

The Culture and Social Affairs Office provides advice and assists the People's Committee at the commune level in implementing state management in the field of health, including preventive healthcare; diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation; maternal and child health; population; prevention and control of social evils (excluding drug rehabilitation and post-rehabilitation management); social welfare; traditional medicine and pharmacy; pharmaceuticals and cosmetics; food safety; medical equipment; health insurance, and other fields in the locality as prescribed by law.

Article 6. Duties and Authorities

1. Submit to the People's Committee at the commune level:

a) Draft resolutions of the People's Council at the commune level (if applicable); draft decisions of the People's Committee at the commune level related to the field of health according to the assignment of the People's Committee at the commune level;

b) Draft plans for the development of the field of health; programs and measures to organize the implementation of tasks in the field of health within the commune area within the scope of management of the Culture and Social Affairs Office;

c) Participate in drafting decisions specifying the functions, duties, authorities, and organizational structure of the Culture and Social Affairs Office.

2. Organize the implementation of regulatory documents, planning, and plans after approval; disseminate, popularize, educate on laws, and monitor the enforcement of laws in the field of health.

3. Assist the People's Committee at the commune level in implementing and be responsible for the examination, registration, issuance of various permits, certificates, and equivalent documents in the field of health within the scope of responsibility and authority of the Culture and Social Affairs Office in accordance with the law and the assignment of the People's Committee at the commune level.

4. Assist the People's Committee at the commune level in managing state affairs concerning collective economic organizations, private economic organizations; associations and non-governmental organizations operating in the field of health in the locality in accordance with the law.

5. Organize the application of scientific and technological progress, innovation, creativity, digital transformation in the field of health; implement administrative reform contents; build information systems and archives serving state management in the field of health and professional activities of the Culture and Social Affairs Office.

6. Inspect and handle violations in the implementation of legal regulations, professional regulations, technical standards in the field of health for organizations and individuals in the locality; receive citizens, resolve complaints and reports; prevent corruption, waste, and negativity in accordance with the law and the assignment of the People's Committee at the commune level.

7. Implement statistical work, build databases on the field of health in the locality; provide regular and ad hoc reports on the implementation of assigned tasks in accordance with the regulations of the People's Committee at the commune level and the Department of Health.

8. Manage the organizational structure, civil servant quota, civil servant grades and grading, job positions, and staff structure by profession and number of employees in public health service units; implement salary systems and incentive policies, training, rewards, and disciplinary actions for civil servants, officials, and workers under the management scope in accordance with the law and the assignment of the People's Committee at the commune level.

9. Manage and be responsible for the finances and assets of the Culture and Social Affairs Office in accordance with the provisions of the law.

10. Perform other duties and authorities according to the division of authority, delegated powers, and jurisdiction defined by competent authorities in accordance with the law.

11. Perform other tasks assigned by the People's Committee at the commune level in accordance with the law.

Chapter III
IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 7. Effective Date

1. This Circular takes effect from July 1, 2025.

2. Circular No. 37/2021/TT-BYT dated December 31, 2021, issued by the Ministry of Health guiding the functions, duties, and authorities of the Department of Health under the People's Committee of provinces and centrally-administered cities and the Health Office under the People's Committee of districts, towns, and urban districts under provinces and centrally-administered cities shall cease to be effective from the date this Circular takes effect.

Article 8. Responsibility for Implementation

1. Provincial People's Committees, Chairmen of Provincial People's Committees have the responsibility:

a) To direct the organization to implement this Circular;

b) Transfer the Health Centers currently under the management of the People's Committee at the district level to the Department of Health for organizing service provision in the inter-commune area; continue to maintain Commune Health Stations, Ward Health Stations, Town Health Stations, and regional multi-disciplinary clinics (if any) currently under the Health Center or reorganize the old Commune Health Stations into new Commune Health Stations and set up Health Points in the old communes to serve the people until new guidelines are issued by the Ministry of Health.

2. Heads of units under the Ministry of Health; Directors of Departments of Health in provinces and centrally-administered cities; heads of relevant agencies and organizations are responsible for implementing this Circular.

In the course of implementation, if any issues arise, difficulties, or obstacles, the relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals are requested to promptly report them to the Ministry of Health (through the Cadre and Civil Servant Organization Department) for examination and resolution./.