Vietnam Announces the Implementation of Health Inspection in 2025

On December 20, 2024, the Vietnam Ministry of Health issued Official Letter No. 1274/TTRB-P1 to Units Under and Affiliated with the Ministry of Health, Provincial and Municipal Health Departments Regarding Implementing Health Inspection and Supervision Activities in 2025.

In 2024, various healthcare units and localities have actively and proactively coordinated with relevant authorities to carry out inspections and examinations. These efforts have led to the timely detection, prevention, and handling of many violations, contributing to the protection and improvement of public health. However, challenges and limitations in the management and enforcement of healthcare laws persist. Many violations continue to occur in various areas, including:

• Violations in Food, Pharmaceuticals, and Cosmetic Production: There have been issues related to the production and sale of food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, including the sale of health food products containing banned substances, and the false advertising of functional foods as medicine.

• Slow Licensing and Approval Processes: The evaluation and issuance of operating licenses for healthcare facilities, as well as the registration and renewal of licenses for medicines, cosmetics, food products, and medical equipment, have been slow, with many pending cases.

• Inadequate Internal Monitoring: The inspection and supervision work within the healthcare units has not been regular and has not received the appropriate attention.

Major Requirements

To strengthen the enforcement of health care regulations, the Inspectorate Ministry of Health requests units under and affiliated with the Ministry of Health, Provincial and Municipal Health Departments properly implement the following measures based on their assigned functions, responsibilities, and local context:

1. Implementation of Healthcare Policies and Legal Directives

Continue to thoroughly implement the conclusions of the Central Committee, Politburo, and Secretariat, as well as resolutions from the National Assembly, Government and Ministry of Health. Additionally, ensure adherence to the policies and guidelines set forth by the People's Committees regarding healthcare matters.

2. Effective Inspections and Supervision

Carry out planned inspections for 2025, as approved by relevant authorities. Conduct unplanned inspections when signs of violations arise, particularly in areas of public concern. Priority should be given to inspecting the production, import, and trade of high-demand products before, during, and after the Lunar New Year and festival seasons of 2025, especially in food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, to protect public health and consumer rights.

3. Enhance Internal Monitoring

Strengthen internal self-inspection and monitoring of public duties, public service, enforcement of healthcare laws, and anti-corruption efforts, at the same time, take strict action against officials, civil servants, and employees who neglect their responsibilities or assist in illegal activities.

4. Public Awareness and Communication

Coordinate with the media agencies to promptly inform the public about violations in the healthcare sector, raising awareness and a sense of responsibility among officials, civil servants, and the public in detecting and combating illegal activities.

5. Strict Handling of Violations

During the inspection and examination process, violations will be strictly dealt with and the names of organizations and individuals who break the law will be publicly disclosed. If criminal activity is suspected, cases will be immediately referred to the relevant authorities for further legal processing.

6. Reporting and Coordination

The Ministry of Health Inspectorate requests the heads of units under and affiliated with the Ministry of Health, as well as the Directors of Provincial and Municipal Health Departments, to implement these measures and report inspection results to the Ministry of Health’s Inspectorate for summary and further action. During the implementation process, if any difficulties or obstacles arise, they shall be promptly reported to the relevant authorities for timely resolution and coordination.