Prime Minister sets deadline to resolve backlog and bring Bach Mai 2 and Viet Duc 2 hospitals into operation in Q2 2026

On the morning of April 14, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung chaired a meeting with Government leadership, the Ministry of Health, and other related agencies to review progress and proposals on health care, public health, and measures to protect and care for citizens’ health.

The meeting focused on addressing backlogs related to the construction of the second campuses of Bach Mai Hospital and Viet Duc Friendship Hospital in Ninh Bình Province.

Deadline set to clear hospital construction backlogs

The Prime Minister said the Government is determined to resolve backlogs decisively, stressing accountability, timeliness, and concrete outcomes. He directed Deputy Prime Ministers responsible for the relevant areas to lead coordination with ministries to remove obstacles and resolve outstanding issues.

Regarding the two hospital projects, the Prime Minister noted that remaining obstacles mainly involve coordination and fall under the Ministry of Health together with other related ministries.

He urged the Ministries of Health, Construction, Defense, and Public Security, within their functions, to mobilize maximum resources and implement the remaining steps in a coordinated, decisive, and effective manner to bring the two hospitals into operation in Q2 2026.

Specifically, the ministries were asked to promptly complete documentation for construction, fire safety, and environmental permits, and to finish remaining tasks to ensure the hospitals can begin operations in line with the directive of the General Secretary and President.

The Ministry of Health was assigned to lead and coordinate with related agencies to finalize special mechanisms and policies for operating the two hospitals, to be completed no later than April 2026.

Comprehensive review of health policy implementation

Beyond clearing backlogs, the Prime Minister required the Ministry of Health to conduct a comprehensive review of tasks and proposals related to implementing resolutions and conclusions from the XIV Party Congress period, including Resolution 57-NQ/TW, Resolution 72-NQ/TW, and Conclusion 18-KL/TW, as well as parliamentary and Government resolutions and the action program.

He asked the Ministry of Health to identify core tasks for 2026, implement them with quality and timeliness, and provide periodic reports to the Prime Minister on progress and results.

Key directives for 2026: law, screening plans, and system reform

The Prime Minister also asked the Ministry of Health to promptly finalize the draft Law on Food Safety (amended), clarifying and strengthening Government management of food safety.

In addition, the Ministry of Health was directed to develop plans and roadmaps for periodic health screenings or free screenings for citizens at least once per year, identifying priority groups for immediate implementation in 2026, particularly in remote areas.

The Prime Minister further urged the Ministry of Health to review and reorganize the pharmaceutical distribution system toward a more scientific and efficient model, with the goal of improving governance and service for citizens.

Digital transformation and administrative procedure simplification

Emphasizing implementation of Resolution 57, the Prime Minister required the Ministry of Health to accelerate and promptly complete databases that are correct, complete, clean, and live by Q2 2026. The core databases include data on children, environmental health, preventive medicine, people with disabilities, medical examination and treatment, social assistance, and food safety.

He also directed continued administrative reform, including reducing and simplifying administrative procedures and business conditions to reduce time and compliance costs for citizens and businesses.

The Prime Minister instructed reorganizing administrative procedures toward data reuse, stating that information already available should not be required again from citizens or businesses. He also called for promoting decentralization and delegation, and implementing Conclusion 18 strictly, under which ministries perform no more than 30% of administrative procedures within their domain.

Assignment of responsibility and related policy proposals

The Prime Minister assigned Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra to directly direct and work with the Ministry of Health on implementing the assigned tasks.

He also commented on proposals related to reimbursement of health insurance costs exceeding the budget for 2018–2022, preparing mid-term public investment projects, adjusting allowances and special allowances, setting fair pricing for health services, completing the Government governance apparatus for food safety, policy experimentation in health, and addressing difficulties in implementing Decree 37/2026/ND-CP.