50 Years of Steady Advancement in Public Healthcare - Part 1
Over the course of 50 years of construction and development (1975-2025), the provincial health sector has attained numerous significant accomplishments in its mission to safeguard public health. During this journey, the decade from 2001 to 2010 served as a pivotal milestone, bridging the illustrious past with the dynamic present of the provincial health sector's younger generation in the context of national development. |
Part 1: Sweet Fruits of Socialization and International Cooperation
Throughout various historical periods, Binh Duong's health sector has been marked by individuals who have emerged as symbols of progress. Dr. Huynh Van Nhi, a distinguished People's Physician, former Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the province, former Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, and former Director of the Binh Duong Provincial Health Department from 2001 to 2010, is regarded as a quintessential figure who contributed significantly to the enhancement of grassroots health care in Binh Duong through the promotion of extensive socialization and international collaboration in health services.
Private healthcare enhancement
We had the privilege of meeting People's Physician Huynh Van Nhi in late February, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of Vietnamese Physicians' Day. Serving as the leader of the health sector from 2001 to 2010, he significantly contributed to the advancement of the province's healthcare system, enhancing grassroots health services, promoting healthcare socialization, and fostering international collaboration. With a gentle voice and a warm smile, People's Physician Huynh Van Nhi shared insights about the cadre of dynamic, creative, united, and self-reliant doctors and nurses in the province, all of whom are wholeheartedly dedicated to the health of the community.
In introducing the narrative of socialized healthcare, Dr. Nhi noted that Binh Duong is a province characterized by robust industrial development, which attracts a substantial workforce from various provinces and cities nationwide. This influx places significant pressure on the public healthcare system. “Workers requiring medical examination and treatment often find that commune or ward facilities cannot adequately meet their needs. Conversely, seeking care at the district or provincial level results in excessively long wait times due to overcrowding. The rise of private general clinics in the southern urban areas of the province—such as Di An, Thuan An, Tan Uyen, Thu Dau Mot, and Ben Cat—along with private general hospitals equipped with modern technology and staffed by skilled professionals, has alleviated some of the strain on the public healthcare system, providing numerous advantages to patients. Notably, we must highlight My Phuoc General Hospital, funded by Becamex Corporation, as well as Binh Duong Private General Hospital, Van Phuc General Hospital, and several other facilities.
In his capacity as Director of the Department of Health, Dr. Huynh Van Nhi oversaw and directly guided the entire sector in the effective execution of the Plan for the development of health care and protection for the residents of Binh Duong province during the period from 2001 to 2010. Within this plan, he delineated the fundamental viewpoints and objectives of health care initiatives nationwide, as well as the primary directions for the advancement of health care in Binh Duong province during the same period, addressing eight critical issues within the sector. By 2005, Binh Duong became the first province in the nation to fulfill the national standard criteria for commune health, achieving a milestone where 100% of commune and ward health stations were staffed with doctors. |
According to Mr. Nhi, during that period, Binh Duong emerged as the first locality in the country to implement private multidisciplinary clinics for health insurance examinations. A notable example is the An Binh Multidisciplinary Clinic (Di An), established by Dr. Dao Canh Tuc. Due to the success of this initiative, the Ministry of Health has selected Binh Duong as a model for replicating the approach to socialization in health insurance participation.
Under the guidance and execution of the provincial health sector, the "sweet fruit" of the investment attraction policy has yielded numerous remarkable successes. Binh Duong is recognized as the capital of the pharmaceutical industry. As of 2010, the province was home to 28 pharmaceutical companies and factories, along with 5 medical equipment manufacturing firms located in VSIP and Dong An Industrial Parks.
In conjunction with the robust advancement of private healthcare, significant emphasis is placed on the training of highly skilled medical personnel. Under the direct leadership and guidance of Dr. Nhi, the entire sector is dedicated to the education of physicians at levels I and II, as well as master's programs and nursing in Thailand, alongside state management and pediatric training. Currently, Binh Duong Medical High School accommodates over 1,000 students enrolled in its programs.
Foster global collaboration
Reflecting on his tenure as the commander of the local medical sector, Dr. Huynh Van Nhi presented a photograph taken with Professor Byong Min in Seoul, Korea. “Professor Min Byong IL, born in 1930, was the pioneer who introduced the ILWong maxillofacial surgery team to Binh Duong. He played a crucial role in assisting the provincial General Hospital with the training of maxillofacial surgeons and generously sponsored equipment and surgical expenses for hundreds of patients suffering from cleft lip and palate, both within and beyond the province,” stated Mr. Nhi.
“We have shared profound sentiments for one another, not only in the realm of international cooperation but also as educators and learners, akin to brothers. Even more significantly, this amicable relationship was further cultivated by the attentive support of provincial leaders at that time, particularly Comrade Ho Minh Phuong, the former Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee. Consequently, each return to Binh Duong felt akin to returning to family and home. From these genuine emotions, we have maintained the delegation's visits to Binh Duong for the past 30 years, and to this day, generations of his students continue this tradition,” Dr. Nhi remarked.
The Korean charity maxillofacial surgery team, along with the provincial health sector, has engaged in a long-term collaboration with the United States in a training and treatment support program for orthopedic trauma, led by Dr. Jikle for the past decade. This partnership has significantly enhanced the quality of patient examination and treatment while providing essential equipment and techniques for medical professionals.
Under his dynamic, creative, and challenging leadership from 2001 to 2010, Dr. Nhi facilitated substantial support for the health sector from international organizations such as WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, and UNHCR, as well as governmental and non-governmental entities from the United States, Korea, Australia, Japan, the Netherlands, and France. This influx of aid has significantly advanced the modernization of healthcare and protection services, elevating the province's health sector to new heights. (continued) To be continued...
In 2010, the province boasted 12 private hospitals, 46 general clinics, more than 1,200 private medical practices, and 1,247 additional private medical and pharmaceutical establishments. Each year, the non-public health system allocates between 1.5 and 5 billion VND to socialized health care initiatives, including medical examinations and treatments, provision of free medications for individuals in remote areas, the impoverished, and those with revolutionary contributions. These efforts have significantly addressed the pressing needs in the realm of health care and protection for the populace. |
Reported by Kim Ha - Translated by Vi Bao
