Policies needed to improve health care for the elderly
Vietnam is advised to quickly develop the model of family doctors, as well as improve the capability of hospitals and medical centres that specialise in taking care of the elderly, in order to meet increasing demand from senior citizens.
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The advice was released at a workshop recently in Hanoi. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Vietnam is among the countries with the fastest aging rate in the world.
The number of the elderly is over 10 million people, accounting for 11% of the nation’s total population, but the national system to provide health care for the elderly remains severely lacking.
Data showed that public healthcare centres only receive about 40,000 elderly people now. The number is too small compared to the real demand.
Participants at the workshop also said that the Government should issue policies, including reductions on land tax, to encourage private sector investment in building healthcare centres specialised for older people.
At present, a lot of companies are keen on establishing centres that focus on the elderly, however, they are hesitant because of the high price of land.
