Free surgeries bring smiles to children with cleft conditions

To commend and honor exemplary orphaned and abandoned children who have shown willpower and determination to overcome difficulties and excel in their studies, training, and lives; and to acknowledge and express gratitude to organizations and individuals who have made significant contributions to the care of orphaned and abandoned children, the Vietnam Association for the Protection of People with Disabilities is organizing the First "Flowers Offered to Uncle Ho" Program - 2026, in Hanoi.

Achieving universal health check-ups in 2026 will lay the foundation for a new healthcare model in which every resident has an electronic health record, receives regular screenings, benefits from lifelong health management and gains access to early intervention through primary healthcare services.

According to Decision No. 1675/QD-BYT recently issued by the Ministry of Health, the practice of periodic health check-ups for children under 6 years old will be standardized nationwide. The document focuses on requiring all children in this age group to receive a periodic medical examination at least once a year. Decision 1675/QD-BYT officially takes effect and replaces Decision 1284/QD-BYT (issued on May 7, 2026) to adjust professional content to better suit the practice of medical examination and treatment.

French Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Etienne Ranaivoson described the technology transfer as a vivid evidence of over-30-year health cooperation between the two countries.

Director of the municipal Department of Health Tran Thanh Thuy said the city has developed a comprehensive plan for conducting free periodic health examinations and screening services throughout 2026, and prepared the necessary human resources, facilities and digital infrastructure to ensure effective implementation.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Ha Thanh, Director of the NIHBT and head of the campaign’s organising committee, said the Red Journey is a symbol of dedication, compassion and social responsibility, and the campaign carries the hopes of millions of voluntary blood donors and helps bring life-saving opportunities to patients in urgent need of blood transfusions.

Ho Chi Minh City is pioneering efforts to expand access to quality healthcare by deploying doctors and extending hospital services to remote and island areas, as part of its push toward universal health coverage.

Health experts warned that prolonged heat exposure could cause heatstroke, heat exhaustion and other serious health conditions. High-risk groups include the elderly, children, pregnant women, people working or exercising outdoors for long periods, and those suffering from chronic illnesses such as hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and diabetes.

Ho Chi Minh City's free health examination programme, set to begin on May 25, is carried out at qualified healthcare facilities, mobile clinics at schools, factories and businesses, community-based screening sites arranged by local authorities, as well as through home visits to elderly residents, people living alone and those with limited mobility.

Medical facilities were instructed to strengthen surveillance, especially for individuals who have travelled to or returned from outbreak-hit countries or areas within the previous 21 days. They were also asked to strictly enforce infection control measures, including protective procedures, screening, triage and isolation protocols for suspected or confirmed Ebola cases.