HCM City health department eyes creation of innovation eco-system

The HCM City Department of Health signs an agreement with the Department of Science and Technology to develop a healthcare innovation eco-system on May 27. VNA/VNS Photo Tiến Lực

HCM CITY — The HCM City Department of Health has signed an agreement with the Department of Science and Technology for creating a healthcare innovation eco-systems.

The partnership will help mobilise resources to create new technological solutions and innovations to improve the healthcare system and public health management.

It will develop solutions and models to also improve primary healthcare facilities.

Speaking at the signing ceremony last Friday, director of the health department, Tăng Chí Thượng, said the focus now is on strengthening the grassroots system.

COVID-19 exacerbated the limitations of grassroots health care, and since the pandemic is now under control the healthcare sector needs to address specific weaknesses in the system, he said.

The key tasks for improving the capacity of the healthcare system are putting in more investment in infrastructure, medical equipment and training, creating policies to attract and retain personnel, and adopting technological solutions and innovation, he said.

Grassroots-level health stations and the HCM City Centre for Disease Control would be given priority, he said.

District-level hospitals, which are the first to receive patients transferred from primary healthcare facilities, specialised medical care centres, and emergency medical systems would also be strengthened by adopting new technological solutions, he added. —VNS