Vietnam to offer free annual health check-ups to all citizens from 2026

At a meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long on Tuesday, he said that adequate preparations must be made to implement the initiative next year.

As per the draft, between 2025 and 2030, at least 1,000 doctors on fixed-term contracts shall be assigned to grassroots healthcare facilities each year to ensure the effective rollout of free health check-ups from 2026 onward.

By guaranteeing every citizen a free annual medical examination or screening, the resolution aims to lower direct out-of-pocket health spending to 30 percent of total household medical expenses.

Each person will also receive a personal digital health record to support lifelong health monitoring.

Looking ahead to 2045, the resolution aims for Vietnam’s health indicators and essential healthcare coverage to align with those of developed countries.

The goal is to achieve a life expectancy exceeding 80 years, with more years spent in good health, and for the youth to match the physical stature and strength of peers in similarly developed nations.

According to estimates from the Ministry of Health, conducting nationwide annual health check-ups will require approximately VND25 trillion (US$955.6 million) per year.

Tran Thi Trang, director of the ministry's Health Insurance Department, estimates the average cost per check-up at VND300,000 ($11.5), covering basic tests such as biochemical screening, complete blood count, chest X-rays, and possibly ultrasound.

The ministry will develop a comprehensive list of services and examination criteria for annual health check-ups, ensuring they meet professional standards, are tailored to the appropriate target groups, and maintain balance between the health insurance fund and the state budget.

This policy includes disease screening and early diagnosis, allowing for detection at the grassroots healthcare level in the early stages.

This helps improve treatment outcomes and reduce follow-up treatment costs, in line with the draft resolution’s objectives, Trang added.

Addressing the meeting, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan remarked that annual check-ups and screenings are critical, especially given the added pressures from climate change and evolving disease patterns.