Anyone know about Vietnam health care system? Can briefly explain? thnks?

Answer 1

The health system in Viet Nam is a mixed public-private provider system, in which the public system still plays a key role in health care, especially in prevention, research and training.

The private sector has grown steadily since the ‘reform’ of the health sector in 1989, but is mainly active in outpatient care; inpatient care is provided essentially through the public sector.

Only 26% of private health facilities participate in primary health care activities. In treatment areas, specialized hospitals and clinics account for only 11.36% of health facilities and are therefore often overloaded. The ratio of nurses to doctors is still very low.

Health care is strengthened by national health programmes, especially those for important public health problems. The tuberculosis control programme is now considered to be one of the best, with treatment success rates of more than 90%. However, coverage in poor communities and mountainous areas is limited, usually only 50-60%.

An extended immunization programme is also considered a successful child health care programme, with a high reduction in vaccine-preventable diseases, the elimination of polio, and gradual elimination of newborn tetanus. However, current conditions for vaccine maintenance, vaccination timing and safety, as well as high staff turnover, are among the current challenges to ensure the continued quality of child immunization.

Total health expenditure in 2003 was 4.21% of GDP. Government expenditure accounts for only 30%, the majority of which is allocated to treatment, with increasing rates from 71.29% in 1991 to 85.02% in 2000.
Budget allocation rates for prevention remain low and continue to decrease. Generally speaking, health insurance policies have not been implemented in the private sector. Pro-poor policies, such as providing health insurance cards for the poor, direct exemption from hospitalization fees, and the establishment of health care funds for the poor, are being actively implemented, but with limited coverage because of budget shortages.

The current, most pressing issues are improving the quality of care, rationalizing and training health staff, and increasing public funding for health care through extension of health insurance coverage. Inequity is highest in outpatient and rehabilitation services. A large disparity in access to health care facilities exists across regions and population groups, particularly in mountainous areas and among minority ethnic groups and the poor.
Access to blood transfusion services is also variable throughout the country and paid blood donors are still the main sources of blood for transfusion. The volume of blood collected, however, does not meet the needs of patients.

Answer 2

You want a BRIEF explanation... Right?!?

In some ways, Vietnam's health care system is similar to the U.S. In other ways, it's quite different.

In the cities, Vietnam has doctors, hospitals and urgent care facilities not too different from the U.S. However, medical care in the rural areas can be scarce or non-existent.

Motorbike vs car or truck accidents are the most common trauma patients. Hepatitis is the most common illness.

Payment for medical services can come from health insurance, cash or through free clinics supported by various foreign sources. Payment for critical care, such as surgery, at many hospitals is paid in advance. The patient cold be left for dead if they cannot afford the surgery or are able to find a place to provide the care for free.

Health care is much cheaper in Vietnam than in the U.S., due to the difference in cost of living and the lack of an adequate civil court system that would enable more medical malpractice lawsuits and drive medical costs up.

Acupuncture is widely accepted and common practice in Vietnam's health care system.

Family and friends are encouraged to stay with patients all the time and even sleep in the hospital with the patients. Quite often, family members will take turns being at the hospital to make sure their fallen loved one always has company.

Vietnam has become the epicenter of treating those who are infected with the bird flu virus. Patients from all over the region are flown to Vietnam for treatment that has been more successful than not.

Australians regularly send their intern doctors to Vietnam to study. I know so much about Vietnam's health care system, because I partied with a few of the Australian interns in Ha Long Bay.

Answer 3

http://www.salemstate.edu/imc/vietnam/health_care.html

http://www.accessvietnam.net/vietnamtravel/information/vietnam_health_care.html

http://www.globalgiving.com/pr/100/proj8a.html

http://unilever.livingabroad.com/shared_files/profiles/countries/vietnam/vietheal.html