Vietnam’s southern region has the highest rate of commune healthcare centers with working doctors, according to the Health Ministry’s Strategy and Policy Institute.
While the average rate is around 65 percent, 88 percent of communes in the east-southern region have working doctors and the Mekong Delta region has 82 percent, according to the institute.
The institute implemented a policy to encourage doctors to work in communes five years ago.
Many local governments in the southern region have developed incentives and good conditions for doctors.
Most doctors working at communes, however, are over 40 years old and have no opportunity to enhance their training.
They work with poor equipment and have average incomes as low as VND1.4 million (US$88) a month.
Over 42 percent of 115 senor medical students surveyed said they would refuse to work in commune healthcare centers if assigned.
According to the government’ 2002 policy, 80 percent of communes nationally will have working doctors by 2010.
Health experts have suggested policies to force medical students to work in communes with good working conditions for a period of time.
Source: SGGP
Saturday
South Vietnam has highest rate of doctors
