A doctor examines a patient at a COVID-19 treatment facility in Ho Chi Minh City’s Thu Duc City. (Photo: VNA)HCM City (VNA) –
Human resources in the health sector of Ho Chi Minh City have undergone many
changes in terms of quantity, quality and structure, said Tang Chi Thuong, director
of the municipal Department of Health.
Speaking at a meeting of
outstanding doctors in the training of medical human resources held on February
21, he said that there were 20 doctors per 10,000 people in 2020, compared with
just 16 doctors in 2016.
According to Thuong, although
has the highest number of doctors in the country, this figure is still
low in comparison with that of developed countries such as Australia (38), New
Zealand (34), the Republic of Korea and Japan (25). Thus, the health sector is
facing challenges with the training of medical human resources in the current
period, in order to meet the needs of the people, he said.
Pointing out the paradox that
exists in the training of medical personnel, Thuong said that the number of
specialist doctors is always much higher than that of general practitioners. He
attributed it to the fact that newly graduated doctors tend to become
specialists.
“This paradox makes it
difficult for primary health care activities at grassroots levels to
develop,” he said.
Many types of
have not been trained by medical institutions or trained in insufficient
numbers compared to actual needs.
For example, paramedic has
not yet been included on the training list, Thuong said, adding that it is essential
to complement the city’s 115 emergency
network.
Chairman of the Council of
the Ho Chi Minh University of Medicine and Pharmacy Tran Diep Tuan said the
importance of the grassroots health care system was reaffirmed during the
COVID-19 pandemic.
One of the issues that should
be settled in the near future is that lack of exchange between the medical staff and
training system, he said.
Tuan cited experiences of
other countries as an example. When facing a situation like HCM
City, they will immediately change the training model for new graduates.
Specifically, after graduation, nurses and doctors will be trained in key areas
related to community and family health to work at grassroots health care
centres, gaining the trust of local residents. However, he stressed that favourable conditions should be created for health staff to encourage them to stay with these facilities for a long time.
Addressing the event, Phan
Van Mai, Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, said the city administration
with work with the health department in devising solutions to the
above-mentioned problems./.
Source: VietnamPlus
