Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

The PM made the call today in Ha Noi at a conference to launch the sector's plans for 2016 and the 2016-20 period.

The Government chief said that the health sector made a leap forward in taking care of and protecting people’s health and contributed to national development.

He proposed the health sector attach more importance to preventive healthcare; raise people’s awareness of food safety and disease control; improve medical treatment services at central and grass-root levels; build satellite hospitals; invest in medical facilities and high-tech applications.

The PM also noted the importance of fulfilling the goal on medical insurance coverage for 2016 and the 2016-2020 period; speeding up IT applications; and accelerating administrative procedure reform; and developing market-oriented medical service.

Finally, Mr. Dung suggested the health sector focus on building development strategies and plans and timely commending good examples of medical care for people.  

According a report of the Ministry of Health, basic health indicators of people were improved remarkably including higher life expectancy from 72.9 in 2010 to 73.3 in 2015; lower maternal mortality rate from 68 per 100,000 new-borns in 2010 to around 58.3 in 2015; less fatality rate of under 1 year-old infants from 15.8‰ in 2010 to only 14.73‰ in 2015; lower fatality rate of under 5 year-old children from 23.8‰ in 2010 to 22.12‰ in 2015; underweight malnutrition rate of under 5 year-old childrenfrom 17.5‰ in 2010 to around 14.1‰ in 2015.

Almost all norms set in the 2011-15 plan and Millennium Development Goals were fulfilled or outperformed./.

By Huong Giang