The provincial health organization restructuring process has triggered new challenges for primary healthcare. Through administrative simplification policies, the number of health posts has been cut significantly for management efficiency. However, behind these downsizing efforts, medical staff now face a surge in workload due to the expanded territorial coverage and patient volume following the unit mergers.
The Director of the Commune Health Post, Bui Van Thong, revealed that staff shortages are the main obstacle to providing excellent service. Currently, medical personnel are not only responsible for clinical examinations but also have to manage various priority programs, ranging from immunization and disease prevention to complex digital health administration. A staff shortage of up to eight people at some points has made operations increasingly challenging.
Responding to these conditions, the Department of Health has taken strategic steps by allocating additional qualified medical personnel, including specialists and general practitioners, from various affiliated units. In addition, technology transfer and professional mentoring from regional health centers continue to be promoted to strengthen the capacity of frontline staff.
Local governments are also beginning to focus on long-term sustainability through incentive policies for medical staff and the utilization of digital platforms. The implementation of electronic medical records through national system integration is expected to reduce the burden of manual administration. Nonetheless, authorities emphasize that strengthening regulations, such as defining clear job positions and grading criteria for health posts, remains key to ensuring that the grassroots healthcare system remains resilient in the future.
