On 26/7, Tang Chi Thuong, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, announced that by the afternoon of 25/7, the city had recorded 1,000,375 individuals receiving health check-ups and electronic health records. This significant milestone was achieved just two months after the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee launched its city-wide health check-up program.

The program saw rapid growth. Initially, over 500,000 residents received health check-ups within the first 50 days of implementation. In the subsequent 10 days, this number doubled, propelled by the "150 Days and Nights" campaign, which commenced on 16/7 and operated on an unprecedented scale.

The initiative was rolled out concurrently across 168 commune, ward, and special zone health stations, alongside public, private, ministry-affiliated, and central hospitals throughout the city. Thousands of medical professionals dedicated their time, working on weekends and evenings. Beyond fixed examination sites, the health sector deployed numerous mobile teams to businesses, schools, and residential areas, also providing home check-ups for the elderly, disabled, and those with mobility challenges.

A key distinction from typical health screenings is the creation or update of an electronic health record for each participant. This digital record stores health information over time, providing doctors with comprehensive data for diagnosis and treatment. It also supports the monitoring of chronic diseases, facilitates early risk detection, and enables long-term health management.

Residents receive free health check-ups at a health station in Ho Chi Minh City. *Photo: Quynh Tran*

The Ho Chi Minh City health sector is currently developing a system to integrate these electronic health records with medical examination and treatment data from various healthcare facilities. Upon its projected completion by the end of 2026, residents will no longer need to repeatedly provide basic health information at different hospitals, and doctors will have streamlined access to patients' medical histories.

According to Mr. Thuong, reaching one million participants marks just the beginning of the program's journey toward establishing a people-centered healthcare system. This initiative represents a significant shift from solely patient care to comprehensive public health. The city is now in an accelerated phase of the "150 Days and Nights" campaign, aiming to provide health check-ups and establish electronic health records for all residents by 2026.

Following its merger, Ho Chi Minh City has a population of approximately 14 million.

Le Phuong