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Vietnam Offers Free Health Care to Kids

Posted on: Wednesday, 1 June 2005, 09:00 CDT

HANOI, Vietnam - Vietnam began offering free health care to all children under age 6 on Wednesday, in an effort to ensure proper care is provided during critical years of development, an official said.

More than 9 million children were given cards enabling them to receive a free health screening and treatment at state-owned health care facilities nationwide, said Nguyen Van Tan, administrative head of the National Committee for Population, Family and Children.

The government earmarked $47 million this year to cover the scheme, he said.

Tan said the National Assembly passed a law in 1991 on protection, care and education of children, including offering free health care, but it wasn't until this year that the country could afford to pay for the program.

"Our goal is to give proper care to all children, particularly the children under age 6 who need care most," he said.

Tan said national children's hospitals in major cities have been flooded with children suffering from minor illnesses since the free plan was announced.

The Ministry of Health has urged parents to bring only children with serious illnesses to national children's hospitals and to seek treatment for minor problems at local clinics, he said.

Source: Associated Press/AP Online

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