Decision No. 47/2008/QD-TTg on approving the Investment Project for Building, Renovating, and Upgrading District General Hospitals and Multi-District General Hospitals Using Government Bonds and Other Legal Sources of Funds for the Period 2008-2010

Pursuant to …;

Regarding the approval of the Investment Project for Construction, Renovation, and Upgrading

of District General Hospitals and Multi-District General Hospitals

Using Government Bonds and Other Legal Funds

for the Period 2008-2010

PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government dated December 25, 2001;

Pursuant to Resolution No. 08/2007/QH12 dated November 12, 2007 of the National Assembly on the State Budget for the year 2008;

Pursuant to Decree No. 141/2003/NĐ-CP dated January 20, 2003 of the Government on the issuance of Government Bonds, Government-Guaranteed Bonds, and Local Government Bonds;

Pursuant to Decree No. 16/2005/NĐ-CP dated February 7, 2005 of the Government on the management of investment projects for construction works and Decree No. 112/2006/NĐ-CP dated September 29, 2006 of the Government amending and supplementing certain articles of Decree No. 16/2005/NĐ-CP on the management of investment projects for construction works;

Considering the proposal of the Minister of Health at Document No. 1656/BYT-KH-TC dated March 13, 2008.

DECISION:

Article 1. Approve the Investment Project for Construction, Renovation, and Upgrading of District General Hospitals and Multi-District General Hospitals for the period 2008-2010 with the following main contents:

1. Objectives:

Investing in construction, renovation, and upgrading of infrastructure, purchasing medical equipment, and enhancing the professional capacity of healthcare staff at district general hospitals and multi-district general hospitals to bring medical services closer to the people; creating favorable conditions for poor people, mountainous residents, remote areas, and ethnic minorities to access quality healthcare services, while reducing the overload on higher-level hospitals.

2. The remaining 60% shall be used to supplement the operating funds of units directly responsible for public debt management at the Ministry of Finance (outside the regular state budget allocation for ongoing operations as currently provided) for the purposes specified in Article 4 of this Decision.

- Investment, renovation, and upgrading projects of district general hospitals and multi-district general hospitals must comply with Decision No. 153/2006/QĐ-TTg dated June 30, 2006 of the Prime Minister approving the Overall Plan for the Development of the Healthcare System in Vietnam until 2010 and Vision 2020 and Decision No. 30/2008/QĐ-TTg dated February 22, 2008 of the Prime Minister approving the Plan for the Development of the Healthcare Network until 2010 and Vision 2020.

- Infrastructure construction projects must follow construction standards and regulations and refer to typical designs issued by the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Health.

- Purchasing essential medical equipment must be based on usage needs, match the level of staff competence, and follow the list specified by the Ministry of Health suitable for the scale of each type of hospital.

3. Scale of Investment and Timeframe:

- The total number of hospitals to be invested in construction, renovation, and upgrading of infrastructure and equipment is 552 district general hospitals and 69 multi-district general hospitals (including regional outpatient clinics), with a list of hospitals attached.

- Timeframe: until 2010.

4. Sources of Investment:

- The total investment capital for implementing the project is approximately 17 trillion VND, including:

+ Central budget raised from issuing government bonds during the period 2008-2010 to support localities is 14 trillion VND;

+ Annual local budgets amount to about 2.2 trillion VND;

+ Raising funds from other legal sources amounts to about 800 billion VND.

- Training and capacity-building costs for healthcare personnel will be used within the annual regular expenditure budget according to the State Budget Law.

- Directing the Department of Information and Communications to advise on management, plan formulation, and implementation after approval by the Provincial People's Committee;

a) Strengthen and maintain the operation of the Steering Committee for the Upgrading of District General Hospitals and Multi-District General Hospitals established under Decision No. 225/2005/QĐ-TTg dated September 15, 2005 of the Prime Minister at the central level to continue directing the implementation of the project in a streamlined, effective manner, and instruct localities to enhance the effectiveness of the steering committees at the local level.

b) The Ministry of Health is the managing agency and permanent body of the project, with the following responsibilities:

- To take the lead and coordinate with localities to propose district general hospitals and multi-district general hospitals that need investment and upgrading within the scope of the project nationwide and in each locality; to develop overall plans and annual plans to implement the project.

- To determine needs and develop annual budget allocation plans for central funding to support localities in implementing the project, submit to the Prime Minister for decision; announce the total capital, quantity, and list of projects so that localities can proactively implement them.

- To take the lead and coordinate with provincial People's Committees to compile training and capacity-building needs for healthcare personnel, prioritizing training and capacity-building in areas that have been invested in to promptly leverage investment outcomes.

- To direct and guide localities in implementing the project; coordinate with ministries, sectors, and localities to resolve difficulties and obstacles within their authority.

- To take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Planning and Investment to organize inspections and evaluations of the project implementation progress of localities, report regularly every six months and annually to the Prime Minister on the results of implementation and propose measures to address difficulties and obstacles.

c) The Ministry of Finance has the following responsibilities:

- To organize the issuance of government bonds according to the plan and the implementation schedule of the projects.

- To coordinate with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Planning and Investment to develop plans for allocating central budget support for localities to implement the project.

- To allocate government bond funds to support localities in implementing the project according to the annual implementation plan. Direct and guide localities to use local budget funds and other legal funds to implement the project within their authority.

- To take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Planning and Investment to guide the management, distribution, payment, and settlement of investment capital for construction works; to implement accounting and settlement of funds raised from government bonds according to regulations.

- To participate in inspecting and evaluating the progress and results of project implementation by localities. Coordinate with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Planning and Investment to resolve difficulties and obstacles within their authority and report to the Prime Minister any issues arising beyond their authority during the implementation process.

- Annually report to the Prime Minister on the situation of capital mobilization and allocation and payment for investment projects;

d) The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall have the following tasks:

- Coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to balance the sources of capital for implementing the Project. Direct and guide localities to use legitimate local capital sources to implement the Project within their authority.

- Coordinate with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance in compiling the list of projects and announcing the total amount of capital and number of projects so that localities can proactively implement them within their authority.

- Coordinate with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance to guide the management, allocation, payment, and settlement of investment capital for projects within their authority.

- Participate in inspecting and evaluating the progress and results of the Project implementation by localities. Resolve difficulties and obstacles within their authority and coordinate with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance to submit to the Prime Minister issues arising beyond their authority during the implementation process.

e) The Ministry of Construction shall have the following tasks:

- Take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Health to study, supplement, and promulgate standards and regulations for medical construction projects;

- Coordinate with the Ministry of Health to guide typical designs for each type of hospital.

g) Provincial People's Committees under the Central Government shall have the following tasks:

- Consolidate and strengthen the operation of the Steering Committee for upgrading district hospitals and regional general hospitals established according to Decision No. 225/2005/QĐ-TTg dated September 15, 2005 of the Prime Minister to direct the implementation of the Project at the local level.

- Review and compile a list of projects using government bond funds in priority order and send it to the Ministry of Health for consolidation.

- Be fully responsible for: planning and approving investment projects; allocating and adjusting the allocated capital among projects within the assigned portfolio; organizing bidding, finalizing project settlements; arranging the provincial budget and other legitimate local capital sources to complete projects according to the approved plan and portfolio.

- Determine a specific and feasible timeline to ensure a qualified healthcare workforce for hospitals. Allocate and guarantee regular expenditure funding to organize training or send staff for training and capacity building to improve professional skills and equipment operation techniques.

- Direct the organization to implement the Project on the territory with the participation of inspection and supervision by the People's Council, Delegation of National Assembly Members, Vietnam Fatherland Front, and other political-social organizations to achieve the Project's objectives according to the plan, regulations, ensuring the quality of construction works, effective use of equipment, preventing waste and corruption.

- Organize mid-term and annual reviews to assess the implementation results, report to the Ministry of Health for consolidation and reporting to the Prime Minister.

- Proactively resolve difficulties and obstacles within their authority; report to the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Planning and Investment to request the Prime Minister to resolve issues beyond their authority.

h) Central and local mass media agencies shall have the task of widely publicizing to encourage society-wide participation, inspection, and supervision of the Project implementation.

Article 2. This Decision takes effect fifteen days from the date of publication in the Official Gazette.

Article 3. Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of governmental agencies, Chairmen of Provincial People's Committees under the Central Government are responsible for implementing this Decision./.