Health workers in Bac Ninh's Tien Du District rest after taking Covid-19 samples, May 13, 2021. Photo obtained by VnExpress

 

More than 9,200 public medical workers have quit over the past 18 months due to low pay and increased workload, reported VN Express.

 

At an online government conference Monday, Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen said over 5,200 quit last year and 4,000 already this year.

 

Unsatisfactory salaries and benefits that could not match requirements and the increased workload during the Covid-19 pandemic have been cited as the main reasons, he said.

 

Some also quit due to health and psychological issues, he said, pointing out that the private sector can attract and retain talent due to higher salaries.

 

Tuyen said his ministry has proposed an increase in benefits for health workers and the number of medical centers based on population, among other measures.

 

Medical workers have been quitting in droves in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. In the first quarter of this year alone, around four hundred quit in HCMC, equivalent to the full-year average in the pre-Covid era.

 

In Hanoi around nine hundred quit in the last 18 months.

 

The exodus is causing a shortage of personnel, affecting medical treatment, especially with the Covid situation remaining serious.

 

In April HCMC passed a resolution to earmark over VND138 billion ($5.9 million) a year until 2025 to hire personnel for 310 medical stations.

 

The Hanoi Department of Health has also urged the city People’s Committee to adopt support policies.

 

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Kudos to the hard workers.. all the best in the next situation.