Functions, tasks and powers of the Department of Health

(Chinhphu.vn) - The Ministry of Health issued Circular 20/2025/TT-BYT guiding the functions, tasks and powers of specialized health agencies under the People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities and the People's Committees of communes, wards and special zones under provinces and centrally run cities.

Ministry of Health guides the functions, tasks and powers of the Department of Health

Accordingly, the Department of Health is a professional agency under the Provincial People's Committee, has legal status, its own seal and account in accordance with the provisions of law.

The Department of Health is under the direction and management of the Provincial People's Committee in terms of organization, staffing and operation; at the same time, it is under the direction, inspection and guidance on expertise and profession of the Ministry of Health.

The Department of Health has the function of advising and assisting the Provincial People's Committee in state management of the health sector, including: preventive medicine; medical examination, treatment, rehabilitation; medical examination, forensic medicine, forensic psychiatry; mothers and children; population; prevention and control of social evils (excluding drug addiction treatment and post-drug addiction treatment management); management and use of the Children's Protection Fund; social protection; traditional medicine and pharmacy; pharmaceuticals and cosmetics; food safety; medical equipment; health insurance in accordance with the law.

30 tasks of the Department of Health

According to the Circular, the Department of Health performs 30 tasks and powers. In particular, the Department of Health organizes the appraisal, issuance, re-issuance, extension, adjustment, suspension, and revocation of licenses, certificates, and confirmations under the management authority of the Department of Health according to the assignment, decentralization, and regulations of law. Implement management and supervision of the quality of services, products, and goods under the state management scope of the Department of Health according to regulations of law.

Regarding medical examination, treatment, rehabilitation; medical examination, forensic examination, forensic psychiatric examination , the Department of Health guides and organizes the implementation of legal documents, technical regulations, national technical standards on medical examination, treatment, rehabilitation, medical examination, forensic psychiatric examination according to the management hierarchy and according to the provisions of law; appraises and ranks technical expertise for medical examination and treatment facilities and approves the list of techniques performed at medical examination and treatment facilities under its authority according to the hierarchy and according to the provisions of law.

The Department of Health provides professional guidance and performs the task of protecting and taking care of the health of cadres under its management according to regulations.

About preventive medicine

The Department of Health guides and organizes 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 treatment of infectious diseases causing epidemics; reporting on epidemic situations according to the provisions of law; advising the Provincial People's Committee on declaring epidemics and declaring the end of epidemics according to the provisions of law.

Instruct and organize the implementation of vaccination activities and the use of medical biological products for subjects according to the provisions of law; organize the reception of dossiers, post information about facilities that have declared eligibility for vaccination on the Department of Health's electronic information page according to the provisions of law; announce, re-announce qualified facilities, suspend, cancel dossiers announcing facilities that are eligible to operate in the treatment of addiction to opium-like substances with alternative drugs according to the provisions of law; post the list of facilities that have self-declared to meet biosafety standards of level I and level II on the Department of Health's electronic information page according to the provisions of law; be the focal point for the work of preventing the harmful effects of tobacco and preventing the harmful effects of alcohol and beer according to the provisions of law.

About population

The Department of Health guides and organizes the implementation of legal documents, strategies, policies, programs, plans, projects, models, target systems, and population indicators; professional regulations and national technical standards on services in the population sector; performs state management of population size, structure, and quality in the area. Advises on solutions to adjust appropriate population size, control sex ratio at birth, improve population quality, and adapt to population aging; presides over and coordinates inter-sectoral work in population work; integrates population and development content into the planning and development of local socio -economic development plans.

Regarding traditional medicine and pharmacy, the Department of Health guides and organizes the implementation of mechanisms, policies, and legal documents on inheritance, preservation, development, and modernization of traditional medicine and pharmacy; professional regulations and national technical standards on traditional medicine and pharmacy; combining traditional medicine and pharmacy with modern medicine and pharmacy; coordinating with relevant agencies and units to organize and implement measures to preserve, exploit, and use medicinal resources rationally and sustainably, and develop medicinal herb cultivation areas.

About pharmaceuticals and cosmetics

The Department of Health guides and organizes the implementation of legal documents, professional regulations, national technical standards on pharmaceuticals and cosmetics; national standards on drugs; manages the quality of drugs and pharmaceutical ingredients; suspends circulation and recalls drugs and pharmaceutical ingredients; inspects and supervises the recall and handling of drugs, pharmaceutical ingredients, and cosmetics under its management authority according to the provisions of law.

The Department of Health advises the Provincial People's Committee to conduct bidding and purchase drugs in accordance with the law and implement solutions to supply drugs for medical examination and treatment, and to overcome the consequences of natural disasters and catastrophes; directs and guides the organization of clinical pharmacy activities to ensure safety and effectiveness in accordance with the law.

About food safety

The Department of Health shall preside over, develop and submit to competent authorities for promulgation local technical regulations on food safety for specific local food products under the management of the health sector in accordance with the provisions of law.

Preside over and coordinate with relevant agencies to manage food safety, investigate and handle food poisoning cases in the area; monitor and inspect safety conditions for small-scale food production and trading establishments, street food, food service establishments, food safety at markets in the area and subjects according to management levels.

Regarding health insurance, the Department of Health guides and organizes the implementation of legal regulations on health insurance in the province according to its authority; presides over and coordinates with local Social Insurance agencies to implement policies and laws on health insurance in the province.

This Circular takes effect from July 1, 2025.

Wisdom

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/chuc-nang-nhiem-vu-quyen-han-cua-so-y-te-10225062517550852.htm