Lam Dong Targets Universal Health Screening Coverage

Backed by a budget of VND 200 billion, the program reflects the province’s determination to expand preventive healthcare and build a comprehensive digital health database.

Political Commitment Amid a Tight Timeline

According to Dinh Van Tuan, Member of the Provincial Party Committee and Vice Chairman of the Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee, this is the largest public health campaign ever undertaken by the province.

The immediate target is ambitious: complete free health examinations for 50% of the provincial population during the first six months of 2026. As a result, June has become the peak month of the campaign, placing considerable pressure on the healthcare system.

According to Huynh Thi Phuong Duyen, Director of the Lam Dong Department of Health and Head of the Steering Committee for Free Periodic Health Examinations and Disease Screening for Residents in the 2026-2030 period, the healthcare sector is fully prepared to activate all professional and operational plans.

Since June 2, localities throughout the province have simultaneously launched screening activities for children under six and school-age students.

However, hospitals and medical centers continue to face several challenges, including overcrowded daily patient loads, shortages of specialist physicians for mobile medical teams, and procedural difficulties related to procurement and first-phase financial settlements.

To address these obstacles, Vice Chairman Dinh Van Tuan directed healthcare facilities to expand mobile examination teams and operate throughout weekends. He also proposed mobilizing qualified lecturers and students from medical universities and colleges to support the campaign.

In addition, health examinations for children under six are being integrated into Expanded Immunization Program sessions and Vitamin A supplementation campaigns at commune health stations to maximize available resources.

The campaign is being implemented in two phases. During the first half of 2026, Lam Dong aims to provide health examinations for approximately 1.25 million people and complete at least 50% of the overall target before June 30. During the second half of the year, another 1.98 million residents will be examined, with the entire program scheduled for completion by Dec. 31, 2026.

Funding and Digital Transformation

To ensure adequate resources, the Provincial People's Committee has allocated VND 200 billion from the province’s 2026 contingency budget.

Of this amount, more than VND 195.4 billion has been distributed to public healthcare facilities, while nearly VND 4.6 billion has been allocated to communes and wards. Authorities have been instructed to ensure timely disbursement while avoiding overlap with expenditures covered by the Health Insurance Fund.

At the same time, the Department of Home Affairs has requested businesses to organize periodic health examinations for employees and submit implementation reports by June 26, 2026.

All examination results will be digitized and synchronized daily to create Electronic Health Records integrated with the VNeID platform and the national health insurance system. The initiative is considered an important step in Lam Dong’s broader healthcare digital transformation strategy.

Local Healthcare Facilities Mobilize resources

According to Le Thanh Quang, Director of the Di Linh Regional Medical Center, the facility coordinated with the Di Linh Commune People's Committee to launch the free health screening campaign on June 2.

With the goal of completing the first-phase targets before June 30, the center is implementing a range of coordinated measures while working closely with local authorities to ensure both progress and medical quality standards.

Ka Huong, a primary school student in Di Linh Commune, said the free health examination helped her better understand her physical development and taught her how to care for her health, eyesight and oral hygiene.

The experience, she added, has inspired her dream of becoming a doctor in the future.

Under guidelines issued by the Department of Health, children under six receive comprehensive developmental assessments. Those aged 6 to under 18 are examined through school health programs, while adults aged 18 and older receive clinical examinations along with selected free laboratory tests and basic diagnostic imaging services for early disease detection and screening.