2M Vietnamese Children under Six without Health Insurance Card

About two million Vietnamese children under six have not yet received health insurance cards, said Tong Thi Song Huong, Head of the Health Insurance Department under the Ministry of Health. After two years of implementing the Health Insurance Law, the granting of health insurance cards to children under six has been implemented slowly due to ineffective cooperation between Departments for Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and insurance agencies in the localities. Most child patients under six have to use their birth certificates when they are admitted to hospital for medical check-up and treatment.
Ms Huong said that to help poor people and children access healthcare services, the Health Ministry has launched a national day for health insurance. The major theme for this year’s health insurance day is “Let’s help poor people, ethnic minority people and children under six access health insurance services”. (vovnews.vn June 23)