VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Health plans to look into health check-ups and treatments offered at public hospitals this year so as to ensure equal fees are charged at all facilities.

The National Institute of Ophthalmology in Ha Noi is one of the facilities that will be inspected by the Ministry of Health.

The ministry will also inspect tenders and purchases of medicines, medical equipment and materials at National Hospital of Odonto and Stomotology in HCM City, National Institute of Ophthalmology in Ha Noi and Viet Nam-Sweden Uong Bi Hospital in northern Quang Ninh Province.

Next week, the health and finance ministries will meet to discuss a draft circular on the framework of health check-up and treatment costs at public hospitals. The circular is scheduled to be issued in the first quarter of this year to avoid differences in check-up fees at different hospitals.

As per the draft circular, the proposed cost of a health check-up service will not exceed VND200,000 (US$9) each time, and specific conditions will be set for required health check-ups. Currently, the fee for health check-ups at central hospitals nationwide range from VND150,000 ($7) to VND690,000 ($31) per time.

The draft circular also sets the highest fee per day for a room with one bed at VND2.4 million ($107). The lowest price for a room with four beds is VND600,000 ($27) per day.

The circular aims to ensure that facilities and equipment at hospitals are in sync with the fees patients pay and avoid situations where patients have to share beds even as unused beds are being offered for a fee.

The ministry’s inspection plan also includes public injection centres in Ha Noi.

VNS