Directive No. 25/2004/CT-TTg on Strengthening the Work of Military-Civilian Medical Cooperation to Care for and Protect the Health of the People and Soldiers in the New Period

DIRECTIVE

On strengthening the work of combining military-civilian healthcare to care for and protect

people's health and troops in the new period

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Over more than half a century of struggle for national independence, protecting and building a socialist motherland, the combination of military and civilian healthcare has been an important measure to fulfill the tasks of treating wounded soldiers, veterans, and caring for and protecting the health of the people.

From 1991 to the present, in response to the requirements of the renewal process, the activities of combining military and civilian healthcare have been institutionalized into target programs, achieving good results in various fields such as local military medical services, training, scientific research, medical treatment for the people and troops, disease prevention, disaster relief, and emergency response; ensuring defense and security in all areas, especially in remote, border, island, and key regions.

However, in practice, the activities of combining military and civilian healthcare still face difficulties, limitations, and weaknesses in both military and civilian healthcare systems, causing some localities to encounter difficulties in organizing and implementing these activities, specifically:

- In some localities, the activities of combining military and civilian healthcare have not received sufficient attention from party committees and authorities; there is a lack of integration and coordinated cooperation among related sectors and between localities and central agencies.

Military-civilian healthcare boards at all levels, particularly at the district and commune levels, are still weak and inadequately consolidated and improved in terms of organization and operation.

- There is a lack of specific mechanisms to ensure human resources, budget, and medical supplies for the activities of combining military and civilian healthcare.

To enhance the effectiveness of the activities of combining military and civilian healthcare in the new period and continue implementing the Project on Combining Military and Civilian Healthcare to Protect and Care for People's Health and Serve National Defense and Security from 2001 to 2010; the Strategy for Caring for and Protecting People's Health from 2001 to 2010; Directive No. 06/CT-TW dated January 22, 2002 of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam on Improving the Primary Healthcare Network; contributing to implementing the Party and State's strategies on national defense and security, economic and social development in key areas, remote, border, and island regions, the Prime Minister issues the following directive:

1. All levels and sectors must attach great importance to the work of combining military and civilian healthcare. This is a regular and long-term task and one of the strategic and effective solutions in the cause of caring for people's health and building a comprehensive national defense system.

2. The Ministry of Health shall take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Home Affairs to direct the consolidation of the system of military and civilian healthcare boards at all levels to better advise party committees and local authorities on healthcare and the combination of military and civilian healthcare; consolidate the network of combined military and civilian healthcare facilities (health stations, regional multi-specialty clinics, infirmaries, centers, and military-civilian hospitals), particularly focusing on remote, difficult, and extremely difficult areas, and key defense and security zones.

3. The Ministry of Health shall take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Defense, relevant ministries, sectors, and provincial people's committees:

a) Develop plans to mobilize and deploy mobile military and civilian healthcare forces ready to respond promptly and effectively to urgent medical needs (disease prevention, disaster relief, etc.).

b) Regularly implement combined military and civilian healthcare activities to care for and protect the health of the people and troops; with practical measures to complete local military medical tasks and strengthen the potential of military healthcare in the region.

4. The Ministry of Health shall take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Defense and relevant government ministries, sectors, and agencies:

a) Annually ensure the budget for combined military and civilian healthcare activities in accordance with the requirements and plans.

b) Study and propose reasonable policies for military and civilian healthcare personnel to motivate, encourage, and attract healthcare workers to meet the demands of community health care in particularly difficult areas, mountainous regions, borders, and islands.

5. Provincial People's Committees have the responsibility:

a) Consolidate military-civilian healthcare boards at all levels to effectively perform advisory functions for party committees and local authorities regarding the implementation of military healthcare work, caring for and protecting the health of the people and troops.

b) Direct and manage the provincial military-civilian healthcare board:

- Develop and implement plans for combined military and civilian healthcare in disaster prevention and response, disease prevention, and other emergencies; caring for and protecting the health of the people and troops. Special attention should be given to difficult and key areas within the locality.

- Build a quality reserve medical force according to assigned targets; regularly organize training and exercises to ensure readiness to fulfill tasks.

- Integrate combined military and civilian healthcare activities with other activities in building a strong defense and security posture in the locality.

c) Annually allocate appropriate funds from the local budget to ensure combined military and civilian healthcare activities according to approved plans.

6. Ministers, Heads of Ministries equivalent to Ministries, Heads of Government Agencies, Chairmen of Provincial People's Committees directly under the Central Government are responsible for organizing the implementation of this Directive.

The Ministry of Health is responsible for summarizing the implementation situation and periodically reporting to the Prime Minister the results of the implementation organization./.