Ho Chi Minh City Students to Receive Free Health Check-ups

Students in Ho Chi Minh City will soon benefit from free, state-funded periodic health check-ups. Starting with the 2026-2027 academic year, an estimated 3 million students, regardless of their residency status, will receive these essential screenings at no cost to their families. This significant policy shift moves away from the previous model, which relied on contributions from parents.

The initiative, announced by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, aims to guarantee that every student has access to regular health monitoring. Early detection of health issues and long-term health management are key goals. The city has maintained periodic health checks for students for years, but this expansion ensures broader and more equitable access.

Local health centers and educational institutions are working together to implement the program. As of early August, over 364,000 students had already undergone check-ups as part of the ongoing campaign. The city aims to complete screenings for all targeted students by the end of October.

Health records from these check-ups will be digitized and integrated into an electronic health system. This digital integration will allow parents to easily track their children's health status and access medical recommendations through a dedicated city app. This system aims to build a continuous electronic health profile for each child from a young age.