Minister Dao Hong Lan has responded to the petitions of voters in the provinces sent before the 9th session of the National Assembly.
In which, voters of Dak Lak province proposed to the Government when implementing the policy and merger project, district-level health centers will be converted into regional hospitals (communes, wards) under the management of the health department. Merging commune-level health stations under commune and ward (new) management to ensure initial examination and first aid.
Regarding this content, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan said that implementing Conclusion 137 of the Politburo, the Secretariat and Resolution 74 of the Government on the arrangement of administrative units at all levels, building a model of organizing local government at two levels, in June 2025, the Ministry of Health issued Circular 20.
The Circular aims to guide the functions, tasks and powers of specialized health agencies under the People's Committees at the provincial and municipal levels and the People's Committees at the commune, ward and special zone levels.
The Ministry of Health is urgently developing and completing a circular guiding the functions and tasks of commune health stations in accordance with the 2-level government organization model. Accordingly, it is expected that the commune-level health station will be a complete public service unit.
Function of commune health stations
Previously, the Ministry of Health issued a document guiding the orientation of arranging local health facilities when implementing the 2-level local government organization model.
In which, for now, the system of public health service units in the locality will be stable; only implement the arrangement when it is really necessary and not affect the operation of serving the essential needs of local people.
Transfer the medical center under the district-level People's Committee to the health department for management to organize the provision of services in the inter-commune and ward areas.
Maintain commune, ward, and town health stations and regional general clinics (if any) under current health centers, or arrange health stations at the old commune level into health stations at the new commune level and have health stations in the old communes to serve the people.
In the draft circular guiding the functions and tasks of commune and ward health stations collected for comments at the end of May 2025, the Ministry of Health proposed that commune health stations be public health service units under the People's Committees of communes and wards under provinces and cities.
Commune health stations have legal status, have headquarters, seals, and separate accounts, and are allowed to open accounts at the State Treasury and banks in accordance with the provisions of law.
Commune health stations are under the comprehensive management of commune-level People's Committees. At the same time, subject to state management of the health sector, directing professional guidance and skills of public service units in the fields of health, food safety, population, social protection, social assistance, mothers, children and other health services in the area according to the provisions of law.
Assigning more professional tasks and powers to health stations
According to the draft, the station has the function of providing professional and technical services in primary health care, including preventive medicine, medical examination, treatment, rehabilitation, reproductive health, food safety, population, social protection, prevention and control of social evils, etc.
In terms of expertise, commune health stations are assigned many new tasks and powers such as performing techniques, procedures, surgery and transferring patients to medical examination and treatment facilities.
This place can be used for tests, imaging diagnosis and functional exploration... Previously, these techniques were mostly performed at district-level medical facilities.
Organizations under the commune health station include the department of disease prevention; the department of medical examination, treatment and rehabilitation; the department of pharmacy - paraclinical; the department of population - social protection - communication and health education...
Organizations under other health stations (if any) have functions and tasks as prescribed by competent authorities based on local needs and actual conditions and in accordance with the provisions of law.
