Keeping the medical station, people feel secure after the merger

Implementing the policy of the Central and the province on the arrangement of local government apparatus, from July 1, 2025, the new Thai Nguyen province will be established on the basis of merging Thai Nguyen and Bac Kan provinces. In this context, health care, especially the activities of commune, ward and town health stations - the health care line closest to the people, has received great attention from the people.

For many people, the health station is still the place they go to for medical examination and treatment when they are sick. In the photo: People come to check their health at the Phuong Tien Commune Health Station.

Maintain the operation of medical stations

According to the Project to establish the Department of Health of Thai Nguyen province on the basis of arranging and merging the Department of Health of Bac Kan province and the Department of Health of Thai Nguyen province, in the immediate future, after maintaining normal operations after the merger, the current commune, ward and town health stations will still maintain normal operations, without any organizational disruption, to ensure medical examination, treatment and health care for the people. The stations will continue to be under the inter-commune and ward regional health centers and these centers will be under the Department of Health (instead of being under the district People's Committee as at present), ensuring professional and unified direction from the province to the commune level.

In particular, in remote, isolated and extremely disadvantaged areas, the role of primary health care is increasingly emphasized. The health sector has directed units to continue implementing community health programs such as expanded immunization, disease prevention, maternal and child health care, malnutrition prevention and healtheducation .

Healthcare is to serve the people. During the implementation process, if there are any difficulties or problems, we will summarize and report to the Ministry of Health for timely guidance and appropriate adjustments, so that healthcare work for the people is most convenient - Mr. Dang Ngoc Huy, Director of the Department of Health emphasized.

Thanks to the medical stations being close to the people, expanded immunization is one of the programs that has achieved positive results in the health sector.

Voice from the grassroots

Not only in the mountainous districts of Vo Nhai and Dinh Hoa, but also people in communes, wards and towns in districts and cities with more developed economic conditions and convenient transportation, expressed their excitement when hearing the news that local health stations will continue to operate as before.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Vinh, Group 1, Gia Sang Ward said: I think that health care work must be increasingly improved and closer to the people. I hope that the current medical stations will not only be maintained as before, but also have more doctors added so that with not too complicated diseases, people can feel secure and confident to come for examination and get medicine, without necessarily having to go to the hospital.

Mr. Nong Quy Hoi, Dong Moi hamlet, Phu Thuong commune (Vo Nhai) shared: Phu Thuong, Lau Thuong and Dinh Ca town will be merged into one commune. Currently, from my house to Phu Thuong commune health station is about 2km, and if to Dinh Ca town health station is more than 5km. The commune health station is close to the people, it will help our people conveniently examine and treat diseases, get vaccinated, and provide first aid. Unlike communes and wards in the city, the roads in the mountainous district are much more difficult and arduous, and people mainly travel by motorbike. Therefore, we really hope that the commune health stations will continue to be maintained for a long time and will be upgraded, repaired to be more spacious and convenient than at present.

Sharing the same wish with the people, Dr. Luong Van Hoan, Head of Phu Tien Commune Health Station, Dinh Hoa District, said: The merger of provinces and communes is the right policy, agreed by the people and medical staff. I think that maintaining the current health stations is appropriate, avoiding disruption. Dinh Hoa District will have 8 communes from 22 communes; Phu Tien commune will merge with Boc Nhieu commune and Trung Hoi commune, with headquarters in Trung Hoi.

Trung Hoi has not had a doctor for many years, so every week I am assigned to come here to examine the people twice. Due to the lack of doctors, diabetic patients have to go to the district hospital to get medicine. When merging, people can get medicine right in the new commune, so it will be more convenient. With the distance from the farthest hamlet of the new Trung Hoi commune to the commune center being up to 10-12km, in my opinion, we should only reduce the number of medical stations in nearby communes to ensure the most convenient health care for the people. - Doctor Luong Van Hoan.

Many upper-level hospitals often organize free health check-ups for people at commune-level health stations. In the photo: Bach Mai Hospital's Respiratory Center provides free examinations for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchial asthma at Huong Son Ward Health Station.

For the purpose of serving the people

Currently, about 20% of communes in the province do not have doctors. The doctors at the stations are currently mainly trained nurses. Therefore, to solve the problem of the lack of doctors at commune health stations, the Health Centers of many localities in recent years have had to mobilize doctors from the Center or from other health stations to support 2 days a week, to ensure health examinations and medicine for some diseases according to regulations for the people. Therefore, the current merger of communes will also partly solve the difficulties in the lack of doctors at commune health stations.

The health sector has determined that maintaining the stable operation of health stations will not only help people feel secure but also contribute to maintaining the grassroots health system - the frontline in disease prevention and control and health care for the whole population. Regional health centers will continue to closely coordinate with commune-level authorities in directing and supervising the operation of health stations.

At the same time, the health sector will review the current situation of each locality to advise competent authorities to supplement human resources and invest in appropriate infrastructure, especially in difficult areas. In particular, it will promote the application of information technology in management and connection of medical examination and treatment data, contributing to improving the efficiency of serving the people.

The merger is a big policy, but for now, we will focus on the most important goal: Ensuring that all people, whether in convenient or remote areas, receive full and timely health care, without being affected by any administrative changes - Mr. Dang Ngoc Huy, Director of the Department of Health affirmed.

According to Thai Nguyen Newspaper

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/giu-tram-y-te-nguoi-dan-yen-tam-sau-sap-nhap-post800925.html