According to the leader of the Quang Ngai Provincial Department of Health, in recent times, the province has made many efforts in providing health care for the people. However, the ratio of doctors to the population is still lower than the national average. Quang Ngai Province currently has only about 8.6 doctors per 10,000 people; the whole province lacks about 300 doctors. Recruiting doctors is facing many difficulties.
Quang Ngai Department of Health has also just compiled statistics on the number of doctors working at public health facilities across the province and the number of doctors retiring in the period 2024 - 2030. Accordingly, the province currently has 1,012 doctors working at public health facilities. From 2024 - 2030, 139 doctors will reach retirement age; of which, 53 doctors are at the provincial level, the remaining 86 doctors are at the district and commune levels.
According to the plan, from 2023 to 2025, each year, the province will send 30 to 40 general practitioners to study for a doctorate in Thua Thien Hue. This is an effort by the province to proactively take human resources, overcome the shortage of doctors at the grassroots level and contribute to the effective implementation of the project on developing human resources for the health sector in the province until 2025, with a vision to 2030. However, from 2023 to now, the whole province has only had 7 general practitioners registered to study for a doctorate. This is a very low number compared to the province's initial expectations.
According to the leader of the Quang Ngai Provincial Department of Health, there are many reasons why general practitioners are reluctant to study to become doctors, the main reason being the rather long training time. Previously, the training to upgrade from general practitioner to doctor took 3-4 years. Currently, the training time is 6 years, like regular doctor training. The entrance exam is also very demanding. Meanwhile, most general practitioners in the area are married and old, so they are not interested in studying to become doctors.
In addition, there are medical centers that have invested in very modern facilities and equipment but still lack doctors. For example, the Ly Son Military-Civilian Medical Center was newly built with a total investment of 287 billion VND, put into operation in mid-2024, but is still lacking doctors.
Every rainy and stormy season, Ly Son is often isolated. In many cases of continuous storms and floods, the passenger transport route from Sa Ky to Ly Son and vice versa is banned, causing Ly Son island district to be isolated for a long time. Many seriously ill people have to "bite the bullet" and rent a speedboat for 20 million VND per trip to the mainland for medical treatment.
Talking to reporters, Mr. Pham Minh Duc - Director of Quang Ngai Department of Health said that every year when the rainy season comes, the Department of Health directs provincial hospitals to increase specialized doctors and some specialized equipment for Ly Son. This year, the Department of Health has a plan to mobilize more obstetricians, surgeons and anesthesiologists, resuscitation specialists for the Ly Son Military - Civilian Medical Center to promptly treat serious cases for people on the island district, when isolated by big waves and strong winds.
