Ho Chi Minh City Allows Free Health Check-ups at All Medical Facilities for Residents

Ho Chi Minh City is set to allow residents to receive free health check-ups at any medical facility convenient to them, regardless of their registered residence, a significant move aimed at accelerating the city's goal of achieving universal health coverage by 2026. According to Tang Chi Thuong, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, this is one of the key new features of the universal health check-up program the city is rapidly implementing. The plan is for all residents of Ho Chi Minh City to undergo periodic health examinations, possess electronic health records, and receive continuous health monitoring by the end of 2026. The focus is shifting from treating illnesses after they occur to early detection of risks, management of chronic diseases, and enhanced preventive care from the community. A notable aspect is that residents are no longer restricted by administrative boundaries when participating in the program. A person living in one ward but working or studying in another area can choose a qualified medical facility near their residence, workplace, or school for their check-up, instead of having to return to their registered locality. "This mechanism helps residents access services more conveniently while also reducing localized overcrowding at some medical facilities," Thuong stated. Beyond expanding the locations for check-ups, the city is also changing its approach to healthcare. Hospitals are envisioned not just as places for treatment but also as sites for regular health examinations for residents. This means that every time a resident visits a hospital – whether for vaccinations, prenatal care, chronic disease follow-ups, or specialist consultations – it can become an opportunity for a general health check-up if one has not been done within the year. The objective, according to Thuong, is to shift from the mindset of "waiting for people to proactively seek care" to "not missing any opportunity to care for their health." At the grassroots level, health stations will play a pivotal role. The city requires 100% of ward and commune health stations to deploy health care teams rooted in their residential areas, responsible for specific neighborhoods, resident groups, and households. These teams will directly engage with residents, encourage participation in health check-ups, update electronic records, and monitor high-risk groups such as the elderly, patients with hypertension and diabetes, or those with mobility issues. For special cases, healthcare workers may even visit homes to provide examination support. Concurrently, Ho Chi Minh City is mobilizing the entire public and private healthcare system, including hospitals, clinics, and mobile examination teams in residential areas, industrial parks, schools, and social welfare facilities. Another crucial component of the program is the creation of electronic health records for each resident. Health data will be continuously updated after each examination, allowing doctors to track a patient's condition over time, rather than relying solely on individual consultations. Since July 1, residents of Ho Chi Minh City can access their electronic health records on the "Công dân số" (Digital Citizen) application, tracking their health indicators and medical history right on their phones. The Department of Health believes that data digitization not only helps residents manage their health better but also creates a foundation for the healthcare sector to predict disease risks, allocate resources, and formulate policies based on real-world data. Health sector leaders assess the universal health check-up program not merely as a short-term campaign but as a significant shift for the city's healthcare system from treatment to proactive health management, and from fragmented management to lifelong health monitoring. If implemented on schedule, every resident of Ho Chi Minh City will have a "personal health record" that is continuously managed and cared for directly within their community, rather than only accessing the healthcare system when they fall ill.