On August 12, in an exchange with a reporter from Lao Dong Newspaper, Ms. Bui Thi Thanh Hieu - in charge of Son Tay Commune Health Station - said that the unit is currently staffed with 17 people, of which 1 person is undergoing assignment, so there are still 16 people working.
According to Ms. Hieu, Son Tay Commune Health Station currently has no doctors. Previously, the unit had 1 doctor who was transferred to work from December 2025, but this person resigned from August 1, 2026.
Ms. Hieu added that many years ago, there were no doctors at Son Tay Health Station; in 2020, 1 doctor was assigned to work, but by 2021, this doctor had also quit his job.
We propose that competent authorities arrange doctors to work in units to improve the quality of medical examination and treatment at the grassroots level," Ms. Hieu shared.
In addition to the shortage of doctors, Son Tay Commune Health Station also faces difficulties due to machinery and medical equipment not meeting the needs, while the operating area is large and travel is still difficult.
At Son Kim 1 Commune Health Station, Mr. Hoang Ai Quoc - in charge of the unit - said that the station currently has 14 people, of which only 1 doctor, which does not meet the number of doctors according to regulations.
According to the investigation of Lao Dong Newspaper reporters, Ha Tinh currently has 69 health stations in 69 communes and wards, with an average of 3.18 doctors/station. However, the number of doctors is not evenly distributed between stations.
Implementing Resolution 72 of the Politburo on a number of breakthrough solutions to strengthen the protection, care and improvement of people's health, Ha Tinh province has issued an action program. Accordingly, by the end of 2027, the whole province must arrange 4 doctors/health station. With this target, according to calculations, Ha Tinh will lack 58 doctors for health stations.
Not only health stations, but also many Health Centers (old district hospitals) and provincial public hospitals are also lacking doctors. One of the reasons is that private clinics and private hospitals have the ability to attract doctors with better incomes.
Therefore, recently there has been a situation where many doctors working at public health facilities quit their jobs to transfer to private hospitals and private clinics.
Recruiting and arranging enough doctors for health stations is expected to face many difficulties. The reason is that many stations are located far from the center, while income is not attractive enough compared to other medical facilities, especially private hospitals and private clinics.
I think that attracting and recruiting enough doctors to work at health stations will be very difficult. Because reality shows that wherever the income is good, more doctors can be attracted to work and keep them attached for a long time," Ms. Bui Thi Thanh Hieu said.
