The Ministry of Health has proposed the government of Vietnam to increase investments for six major hospitals as part of efforts to deal with the overload, the Ha Noi Moi newspaper reported Jan. 5. They are Bach Mai Hospital, E Hospital’s Cardiovascular Surgery Center, Cho Ray Hospital, National Institute of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, K Hospital and Central Pediatrics Hospital. The health ministry also asked the government to allow seven general hospitals and two university hospitals to borrow up to 90%-100% from banks with interest rate halved. Vietnam targets to raise the average number to 25 beds per 10,000 people by 2015, up from the current figure of 18 beds per 10,000. This year, the Southeast Asian country expects to spend VND50 trillion or 8.6% of the total state budget for the health sector.
