Young doctors volunteer to work in poor districts

Doctor Doan Thanh Huong (centre) volunteers to work in Muong Ang district’s healthcare centre in Dien Bien province (Photo: VNA)

Lao Cai (VNA) – Seven young doctors from the Vietnam National Hospital
of Pediatrics and Bach Mai Hospital have been dispatched to work in impoverished
districts in the northern mountainous provinces of Lao Cai, Bac Kan, Son La and
Dien Bien.

This is part of a project sending to disadvantaged areas,
including mountainous and border localities and islands. The project, approved
by the Ministry of Health in 2013, prioritises 62 poor districts to improve
healthcare services at the grassroots level.

Speaking at a handover ceremony in Lao Cai province on June 28, Minister of
Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien said that young doctors who have medical practice
certificates and performed well at university will work in poor districts.

After being further trained in a speciality, male doctors will work in district
hospitals in deprived localities for three years and female doctors for two
years, Tien said, adding that they will have favourable conditions in terms of
salary, allowances and working conditions.

She underlined that the project will facilitate access to high-quality
healthcare services for people in mountainous and remote areas while easing the
burden on central hospitals.

The project has so far attracted registrations from 78 doctors.

At the ceremony, Bac Ha district’s general hospital in Lao Cai province was
presented with two artificial kidney machines by the Hanoi-based E Hospital,
one patient monitoring equipment by the Vietnam-Germany Friendship Hospital and
a breathing machine and one surgical kit by the Bach Mai Hospital.

On the occasion, Chairwoman of the National Assembly’s Committee for Social
Affairs Nguyen Thuy Anh, Minister of Health Tien and leaders of Lao Cai
province presented gifts to poor patients at Bac Ha district’s general
hospital. Free medicines and medical checks-up were also provided for relatives
of people who rendered services to the country and children in Bac Ha
district.-VNA