Joint Circular No. 203/TT-LB stipulates the directive relationship and organizational assurance for health work within the People's Public Security sector.

JOINT CIRCULAR

OF THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS AND HEALTH - DECREE NO. 203/TT-LB DATED JULY 16, 1992 REGULATING THE SUPERVISORY RELATIONSHIP AND ORGANIZATIONAL GUARANTEES FOR HEALTH WORK IN THE PUBLIC SECURITY FORCE

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To strengthen state management over health work, improve the quality of health work in the Public Security Force to ensure the health of officers and soldiers, treat wounded and sick soldiers, and meet combat requirements and build public security forces. The Ministry of Home Affairs and Health issued this Circular regulating the supervisory relationship and organizational guarantees for health work in the Public Security Force as follows:

I. ON HEALTH ORGANIZATION:

The health organization system of the Public Security Force is organized in accordance with its characteristics, situation, and tasks by the Ministry of Home Affairs, with the participation and comments from the Ministry of Health.

The Health Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs is the specialized agency assisting the leadership of the Ministry of Home Affairs in directing health work within the Public Security Force and is subject to professional direction from the Ministry of Health. Plans for developing the national health system proposed by the Ministry of Home Affairs must involve the participation of the Ministry of Health and the State Planning Commission before being submitted to the Council of Ministers.

The Health Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs ensures reporting on professional matters to the Ministry of Health according to regulations. The Ministry of Health sends legal regulatory documents related to health work to the Health Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs so that the Health Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs has the responsibility to report to the leadership of the Ministry of Home Affairs and organize implementation within the Public Security Force.

Regarding policies, standards, quotas for materials, finance, labor, etc., for health work in the Public Security Force, the Ministry of Home Affairs studies and proposes to the State and makes specific regulations suitable for the characteristics, situation, tasks, and requirements of the Public Security Force.

The Health Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs may directly relate to specialized departments of the Ministry of Health and serves as a focal point in the direction of specialized departments and centers under the Ministry of Health regarding professional matters, training, and scientific research. Local health departments and district health departments have the responsibility to guide and assist health organizations of the Public Security Force at the same level in necessary professional matters or in emergency situations.

II. ON SANITARY PREVENTION AND DISEASE CONTROL:

Health units of the Public Security Force are responsible for ensuring environmental hygiene, participating in disease prevention for the people in areas where the Public Security Force is stationed, monitoring and promptly identifying diseases, and implementing measures to control them. Health facilities of the Public Security Force are subject to local health authorities' direction on disease prevention and control. When there is an epidemic or disaster in the area where the Public Security Force is stationed.

Sanitation and disease prevention organizations of the health sector have the responsibility to guide and assist sanitation and disease prevention organizations of the Public Security Force in their locality when Public Security Force units experience an outbreak. If the outbreak occurs in a province, the provincial health department is responsible for providing support in terms of personnel, materials, and technical equipment to Public Security Force units, which will reimburse the provincial health department for expenses incurred. For medicines and chemicals for disease prevention, Public Security Force units in provinces and cities must prepare plans to requisition or transfer from health sectors in those provinces.

III. ON DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT:

Civilian or Public Security health facilities must accept and provide emergency care to Public Security or civilian patients until they are stable enough to be transferred back to their respective facilities. Hospitals of the Public Security Force or civilian hospitals located in the same area have the responsibility to help each other handle severe cases or specialized cases beyond their professional capabilities. Cases exceeding the capacity of Public Security Force clinics or hospitals are referred to county, provincial, and central hospitals of the Ministry of Health for diagnosis and treatment. Officers eligible for diagnosis and treatment at the Vietsov Hospital and Thong Nhat Hospital shall follow Circular No. 832 TC/TW dated August 19, 1986, of the Central Party Organization Committee.

In case of natural disasters or major accidents, both Public Security and civilian health organizations cooperate to organize emergency care and treatment for victims and address immediate consequences.

Prisoners who fall seriously ill are sent for treatment to civilian hospitals; Public Security units managing prisoners are responsible for guarding them, while civilian hospitals only bear responsibility for the medical aspect.

Payment for hospital fees when patients are treated at Public Security Force hospitals or civilian hospitals follows the regulations set by the State.

IV. ON ENSURING MEDICINES, EQUIPMENT, AND HEALTH MATERIALS:

Based on annual actual needs, the Health Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs prepares detailed plans for various types of medicines and equipment quantities to be allocated by the Ministry of Health for procurement from pharmaceutical companies and equipment enterprises under the Ministry of Health.

For humanitarian medical aid distributed by the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Health will provide additional support in medicines and medical equipment to enhance the ability to ensure the health of Public Security Force officers and soldiers, while addressing humanitarian issues for prisoners.

In case of emergencies, the Director of the Health Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs reports to the leadership of the Ministry of Home Affairs and requests the leadership of the Ministry of Health to resolve urgent needs and provide special assistance within the Ministry of Health's capacity.

For the distribution of regular medicines and specialized equipment, Public Security Force units in provinces and cities purchase and collect medicines directly from pharmaceutical companies in their provinces according to annual plans.

Public Security Force health organizations can establish facilities to produce medicines to ensure a portion of medicines for treatment and health maintenance within the Public Security Force. The production and circulation of medicines produced by Public Security Force health organizations must comply with all procedures and general regulations stipulated by the Ministry of Health.

V. ON TRAINING, EDUCATION OF STAFF, AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH:

The Ministry of Home Affairs collaborates with the Ministry of Health in research and training of specialized staff in certain fields where the Ministry of Home Affairs has experience, such as forensic medicine, etc. When necessary, some training slots abroad can be reserved for civilian medical staff.

In the training and supplementary work for health staff, the Ministry of Health allocates certain quotas to public security health to enable public security health to have conditions to further improve their professional expertise within the field.

The Ministry of Health distributes a reasonable proportion for public security health staff to attend study sessions, tours, and scientific and technical conferences abroad when the content is related to public security health within the scope of the Ministry's authority.

Public security people's health is assigned personnel to participate in the Scientific and Technical Council of the Ministry of Health, central and local sector scientific associations, but must meet the full criteria of a member as prescribed, and participate in national and ministerial-level scientific and technological research programs relevant to them.

VI. IMPLEMENTATION ORGANIZATION:

Competent agencies of the Ministry of Health are responsible for guiding health sector institutions to implement. The Health Administration of the Ministry of Public Security assists the Minister in guiding public security health sector institutions to implement.

During the implementation process, it is necessary to regularly draw lessons to report to the leadership of the two ministries of Public Security and Health to perfect and supplement the working relationships for continuous improvement. Previous regulations that conflict with the provisions of this Circular are hereby abolished.

CIRCULAR

JOINT MINISTRY OF PUBLIC SECURITY AND HEALTH

REGULATIONS ON DIRECTIVE RELATIONSHIP AND ORGANIZATIONAL GUARANTEES
FOR PUBLIC SECURITY PEOPLE'S HEALTH WORK

To strengthen state management over health work, improve the quality of health work in the Public Security Force to ensure the health of officers and soldiers, treat wounded and sick soldiers, and meet combat requirements and build public security forces. The Ministry of Home Affairs and Health issued this Circular regulating the supervisory relationship and organizational guarantees for health work in the Public Security Force as follows:

I. ON HEALTH ORGANIZATION:

The health organization system of the Public Security Force is organized in accordance with its characteristics, situation, and tasks by the Ministry of Home Affairs, with the participation and comments from the Ministry of Health.

The Health Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs is the specialized agency assisting the leadership of the Ministry of Home Affairs in directing health work within the Public Security Force and is subject to professional direction from the Ministry of Health. Plans for developing the national health system proposed by the Ministry of Home Affairs must involve the participation of the Ministry of Health and the State Planning Commission before being submitted to the Council of Ministers.

The Health Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs ensures reporting on professional matters to the Ministry of Health according to regulations. The Ministry of Health sends legal regulatory documents related to health work to the Health Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs so that the Health Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs has the responsibility to report to the leadership of the Ministry of Home Affairs and organize implementation within the Public Security Force.

Regarding policies, standards, quotas for materials, finance, labor, etc., for health work in the Public Security Force, the Ministry of Home Affairs studies and proposes to the State and makes specific regulations suitable for the characteristics, situation, tasks, and requirements of the Public Security Force.

The Health Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs may directly relate to specialized departments of the Ministry of Health and serves as a focal point in the direction of specialized departments and centers under the Ministry of Health regarding professional matters, training, and scientific research. Local health departments and district health departments have the responsibility to guide and assist health organizations of the Public Security Force at the same level in necessary professional matters or in emergency situations.

II. ON SANITARY PREVENTION AND DISEASE CONTROL:

Health units of the Public Security Force are responsible for ensuring environmental hygiene, participating in disease prevention for the people in areas where the Public Security Force is stationed, monitoring and promptly identifying diseases, and implementing measures to control them. Health facilities of the Public Security Force are subject to local health authorities' direction on disease prevention and control. When there is an epidemic or disaster in the area where the Public Security Force is stationed.

Sanitation and disease prevention organizations of the health sector have the responsibility to guide and assist sanitation and disease prevention organizations of the Public Security Force in their locality when Public Security Force units experience an outbreak. If the outbreak occurs in a province, the provincial health department is responsible for providing support in terms of personnel, materials, and technical equipment to Public Security Force units, which will reimburse the provincial health department for expenses incurred. For medicines and chemicals for disease prevention, Public Security Force units in provinces and cities must prepare plans to requisition or transfer from health sectors in those provinces.

III. ON DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT:

Civilian or Public Security health facilities must accept and provide emergency care to Public Security or civilian patients until they are stable enough to be transferred back to their respective facilities. Hospitals of the Public Security Force or civilian hospitals located in the same area have the responsibility to help each other handle severe cases or specialized cases beyond their professional capabilities. Cases exceeding the capacity of Public Security Force clinics or hospitals are referred to county, provincial, and central hospitals of the Ministry of Health for diagnosis and treatment. Officers eligible for diagnosis and treatment at the Vietsov Hospital and Thong Nhat Hospital shall follow Circular No. 832 TC/TW dated August 19, 1986, of the Central Party Organization Committee.

In case of natural disasters or major accidents, both Public Security and civilian health organizations cooperate to organize emergency care and treatment for victims and address immediate consequences.

Prisoners who fall seriously ill are sent for treatment to civilian hospitals; Public Security units managing prisoners are responsible for guarding them, while civilian hospitals only bear responsibility for the medical aspect.

Payment for hospital fees when patients are treated at Public Security Force hospitals or civilian hospitals follows the regulations set by the State.

IV. ON ENSURING MEDICINES, EQUIPMENT, AND HEALTH MATERIALS:

Based on annual actual needs, the Health Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs prepares detailed plans for various types of medicines and equipment quantities to be allocated by the Ministry of Health for procurement from pharmaceutical companies and equipment enterprises under the Ministry of Health.

For humanitarian medical aid distributed by the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Health will provide additional support in medicines and medical equipment to enhance the ability to ensure the health of Public Security Force officers and soldiers, while addressing humanitarian issues for prisoners.

In case of emergencies, the Director of the Health Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs reports to the leadership of the Ministry of Home Affairs and requests the leadership of the Ministry of Health to resolve urgent needs and provide special assistance within the Ministry of Health's capacity.

For the distribution of regular medicines and specialized equipment, Public Security Force units in provinces and cities purchase and collect medicines directly from pharmaceutical companies in their provinces according to annual plans.

Public Security Force health organizations can establish facilities to produce medicines to ensure a portion of medicines for treatment and health maintenance within the Public Security Force. The production and circulation of medicines produced by Public Security Force health organizations must comply with all procedures and general regulations stipulated by the Ministry of Health.

V. REGARDING TRAINING AND STAFF DEVELOPMENT
AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH:

The Ministry of Home Affairs collaborates with the Ministry of Health in research and training of specialized staff in certain fields where the Ministry of Home Affairs has experience, such as forensic medicine, etc. When necessary, some training slots abroad can be reserved for civilian medical staff.

In the training and supplementary work for health staff, the Ministry of Health allocates certain quotas to public security health to enable public security health to have conditions to further improve their professional expertise within the field.

The Ministry of Health distributes a reasonable proportion for public security health staff to attend study sessions, tours, and scientific and technical conferences abroad when the content is related to public security health within the scope of the Ministry's authority.

Public security people's health is assigned personnel to participate in the Scientific and Technical Council of the Ministry of Health, central and local sector scientific associations, but must meet the full criteria of a member as prescribed, and participate in national and ministerial-level scientific and technological research programs relevant to them.

VI. IMPLEMENTATION ORGANIZATION:

Competent agencies of the Ministry of Health are responsible for guiding health sector institutions to implement. The Health Administration of the Ministry of Public Security assists the Minister in guiding public security health sector institutions to implement.

During the implementation process, it is necessary to regularly draw lessons to report to the leadership of the two ministries of Public Security and Health to perfect and supplement the working relationships for continuous improvement. Previous regulations that conflict with the provisions of this Circular are hereby abolished.