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On May 6, 2026, Vietnam’s Ministry of Health issued a decision approving a plan to implement periodic health checkups and free screenings at least once a year for the population. The plan is designed to ensure full implementation of related viewpoints, objectives, tasks, and solutions, including concrete responsibilities for local authorities and relevant units to implement, inspect, supervise, and evaluate the program.
A key focus is linking periodic health check data with national health data systems, including the system for managing health care activities, the national health database, and the data gateway of the health insurance information system. The plan also calls for integration into the VNeID app in line with guidance from the Ministry of Health and Vietnam Social Security.
The stated goal is to help citizens receive annual free health checkups or screenings according to a schedule, with prioritized groups receiving earlier attention to proactively detect, prevent, and treat diseases. The plan also aims to reduce disease burden and medical costs, while building a national health data management database to support comprehensive, continuous health care across people’s lifecycles.
Under the plan, the scope, target groups, prioritization schedule, facilities for conducting the checks, and funding sources will be implemented in accordance with a Government Decree that details and guides the implementation of several provisions of the Health Prevention Law.
Entities employing workers as defined by the 2015 Law on Occupational Safety and Hygiene must organize periodic health checks or screenings in accordance with workplace safety and health regulations.
The Ministry of Health asks Departments of Health to coordinate with the Department of Education and Training and schools to draft and submit to provincial and municipal People’s Committees plans to organize periodic health checks and free screenings for residents in their areas.
Local authorities are directed to survey residents and organize periodic health checks or free screenings at social health stations or at licensed facilities certified to conduct health checks.
If a commune health post does not meet the conditions to conduct periodic health checks or screenings, local authorities or the Department of Health should direct a qualified nearby facility to cooperate, or select the commune health post as a mobile health-check site to ensure convenience for residents.
Facilities conducting periodic health checks or free screenings are required to categorize priority groups and schedule examinations to ensure suitability and avoid overload.
The plan also requires that all examination contents follow the Ministry of Health’s professional guidelines for assessing health status or classifying health, early detection of disease risks and patients according to target groups, and provision of disease prevention counseling, treatment, or referral to appropriate facilities under applicable regulations.
Examination results must be compiled into electronic health records. Data should be linked and shared with the health insurance examination data system and integrated with the national health information system and the VNeID app data gateway, following guidance from the Ministry of Health and Vietnam Social Security.
The Ministry of Health sets timelines for units to complete assigned tasks. In May 2026, units are expected to complete professional guidelines for periodic health checks for the people, build the national electronic health records system, develop and implement the plan for periodic health checks or free screenings, and create electronic health records for residents for submission to the People’s Committee for approval.
Completion of the professional guidelines and the organization of monitoring and supervision of free screenings for target groups is required before December 31, 2027.
The plan includes “9 groups of solutions” to implement periodic health checks and free screenings for all citizens.
The provided material also indicates that health insurance will cover periodic health checkups starting from 1/7/2026.
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