The Ministry of Health issued Official Letter No. 5962/BYT-TCCB in 2025 answering the functions and tasks of health stations in the context of implementing the two-level local government model (provincial and commune). Accordingly, the reorganization of the grassroots health system is given specific instructions for both the Medical Center and the Commune and Ward Health Stations.
District-level Medical Center converts to Regional Medical Center
The Ministry of Health said that existing health centers at the district, county, town and city levels are basically maintained and converted into regional health centers, public service units under the provincial and municipal health departments after the reorganization.
These centers perform the functions, tasks and powers according to Circular 32/2024/TT-BYT; at the same time, continue to provide professional support, human resources, medicine, supplies and medical equipment to commune and ward health stations after the merger.
Based on the assessment of the effectiveness of operations, the Director of the Department of Health will advise the People's Committees of provinces and cities to decide on the maintenance, merger or reorganization of a number of regional health centers in accordance with the actual situation.
For places where there is no longer a district-level government, the Medical Center has been converted into an regional Medical Center under the Department of Health, responsible for providing medical services to inter-commune and ward levels.
Commune Health Stations continue to be maintained and rearranged according to the area
For the commune level, the Ministry of Health guides the maintenance of existing health stations or rearrangement into a health station of the new administrative unit, and at the same time establishes stations in the old commune to serve the people.
Commune Health Stations continue to operate according to the model prescribed in Circular 33/2015/TT-BYT, under the Regional Health Center, under the comprehensive professional management of preventive medicine, medical examination and treatment, reproductive health care, traditional medicine, community health management...; at the same time, still under the leadership of the Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level in performing tasks in the area.
Currently, most localities still assign the provincial and municipal Department of Health to manage health stations, only three localities - Hanoi, Hung Yen and Phu Tho - transfer health stations to commune-level People's Committees for management. This approach aims to ensure human resource coordination, cadre rotation, stable and uninterrupted supply of medicine and medical supplies and primary health care services for people.
There will be a new Circular regulating the functions and structure of health stations
The Ministry of Health is developing a new Circular to replace Circular 33/2015/TT-BYT, guiding the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of Commune and Ward Health Stations.
According to the plan, the Commune and Ward Health Stations will be public health service units with full legal status, with their own seals, accounts and headquarters; adding a number of new tasks transferred from the field of labor - war invalids and social affairs.
This is a new type of public service unit, so the Ministry of Health believes that there needs to be time for careful research, ensuring feasibility and practical effectiveness, helping people easily access basic health services right at the facility.
After the merger, the health station system will continue to play the role of a core health line, continue to be under the professional management of the Department of Health, and have new functions added, towards a more modern, professional and closer to the people model.
