Over 4.1 million people in Dong Nai receive free periodic health check-ups or screenings

More than 4.1 million people in Dong Nai City have received free periodic health examinations or screenings, Director of Dong Nai Department of Health Do Thi Nguyen said on October 30.

Students undergo health check-ups at Lac Hong Bilingual School in Tran Bien ward. Photo: Hanh Dung

The figure was compiled from various activities, including occupational health examinations, general and periodic health check-ups, medical screening, beginning-of-school-year health examinations, and medical examinations and treatment covered by health insurance. These activities were implemented in accordance with Government Decree No. 165/2026/ND-CP, which provides detailed regulations and guidance on the implementation of certain provisions of the Law on Disease Prevention.

Of this total, more than one million people received free periodic health check-ups or screenings under Prime Minister’s Directive No. 17/CT-TTg. Another 1.8 million received medical examinations and treatment covered by health insurance, while the remaining cases involved other forms of health examinations.

The Party Committee of the Dong Nai People’s Committee has submitted a report to the Standing Board and Standing Committee of the City Party Committee on the citywide implementation of free periodic health check-ups or screenings.

According to the report, in October 2026, the city stepped up inspections and urged 40 communes and wards with slow implementation progress to explain the delays, identify their causes and clarify responsibilities, while setting specific deadlines for corrective action. Progress was also tied to the accountability of local leaders. Meanwhile, the city reviewed health check-up schedules for school and university students and intensified health examinations for officials, civil servants, public employees and workers.

However, the implementation still faces several challenges. Progress varies among localities, while health examination data for workers from some medical facilities outside the city have yet to be fully standardised or integrated. The sharing of health insurance data with the city’s Data Centre also requires closer coordination with Vietnam Social Security.

In the coming months, the Party Committee of the City People’s Committee will step up its leadership and oversight to ensure the programme meets its targets, with the goal of providing every resident with at least one free periodic health check-up or screening in 2026. Priority will be given to the 40 communes and wards where implementation has lagged behind schedules. If progress remains slow or explanations for delays are insufficient, the committee will propose that the municipal People’s Committee take appropriate accountability measures in accordance with regulations.

Key measures include completing the health data submission portal and establishing a unified citywide database, with personal identification numbers serving as the primary reference for data matching. The city will also propose that the Ministry of Health (MoH) revise its statistical method to count residents by place of residence rather than by the location of the medical facility where they receive examinations. The city also plans to establish an automated data-sharing mechanism connecting the MoH, Vietnam Social Security, the Ministry of Public Security and local authorities. Coordination with other provinces and cities will be strengthened to ensure that health data are updated accurately and in a timely manner.

By H. Dung – Translated by Mai Nga, Thu Ha