Vietnam to launch free annual health check-ups for all citizens this year

As per the directive, signed by Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra, every Vietnamese citizen will receive at least one free health check-up or screening per year.

Authorities will also create electronic health records for each individual to support long-term medical monitoring and management.

Ministries, agencies, and local authorities were asked to treat the program as a key and regular task while increasing public awareness about the importance of routine health examinations.

The Ministry of Health was assigned to issue technical guidelines, establish standardized medical data systems, and connect health examination information with related databases through the national digital identification application VNeID.

The Ministry of Public Security will provide infrastructure for citizen data verification and protect personal data security.

The Ministry of Finance will allocate the state budget and guide payment mechanisms.

Local authorities will prioritize vulnerable groups such as the elderly, the disabled, poor households, and those with chronic illnesses.

The directive also requires businesses and employers to organize annual health check-ups for employees in accordance with labor regulations.

In the education sector, the Ministry of Education and Training was tasked with organizing free periodic health examinations for students, starting in the 2026-27 academic year.

Trade unions will cooperate with employers to encourage workers to participate in regular health screenings and supervise implementation efforts to ensure compliance with regulations.

The directive also emphasizes stronger inspections and monitoring of health examination programs, especially for workers in industrial parks, export processing zones, and occupations with high risks of occupational diseases, to better protect public health rights.