Hau Giang Health Sector: A Healthy Outlook

Hau Giang Health Sector: A Healthy Outlook

Dr. Pham Thanh Khoi
Director of Hau Giang Health Department

Despite a weak health infrastructure, and a lack of professional health workers, equipment, and capital from the State budget, Hau Giang province's health sector has set targets for the 2004-2010 period to build a provincial 500 bed general hospital (in 2005), a 200-bed town hospital, a 100-bed traditional medicine hospital, and upgrade hospitals in districts and towns to bring the total number of sickbeds to 1,400, equal to 16.73 beds per 10,000 people by 2010.

The sector will focus on training its human resources to attain ratios of 4.5 doctors per 10,000 people and one pharmacist per 10,000 people by 2010. In the period, the province will use medicines and health materials from Vietnam's large pharmaceutical companies instead of establishing its separate pharmaceutical and health material companies.    

The sector now has 630 sickbeds in total, including 250 in the provincial general hospital, 380 in six health centres in districts and towns, 60 communal clinics, and 304 private health and pharmaceutical centres. At present, the ratio of doctors and sickbeds stand at 2.77 and 8.7 per 10,000 people on average, respectively.   

Regarding international cooperation, Hau Giang's health sector is conducting the Rural Health Project funded by the Asian Development Bank with US$1.9 to be finished in 2006, and the Mekong Delta Health Assistance Project funded by the World Bank with VND71.5 billion (US$4.58 million). In addition, the Ministry of Health is working out a project to upgrade and build health facilities for local clinics in the province with a total capital of VND48 billion (US$3.07 million) that will be implemented in 2006-2010.

To prepare for Vietnam's international economic integration, Hau Giang's health sector plans to apply more advanced technologies, such as a CT. Scanner, MRI, and DSA in diagnostics and treatment, build up the community-based health care system to meet international standards, offer health insurance to all local people, and further socialise health services.