Therefore, the policy of periodic health checkups and free screening for all citizens under the spirit of Resolution No.72-NQ/TW of the Politburo on protecting, caring for, and improving public health is regarded as a humane policy - clearly demonstrating the perspective of taking citizens as the center and disease prevention as the core. This is not only a sound policy but also one that resonates deeply with the people’s aspirations, fulfilling the wishes of millions, especially those in remote, isolated, and disadvantaged areas.

Translating Resolution 72 into practice, Điện Biên rapidly materialized it through decisive solutions. On June 9, 2026, the Provincial People’s Committee issued Plan No.4765 regarding the organization of periodic health checkups or free screenings for citizens. Subsequently, Urgent Document No.5228/UBND-KGVX required departments, sectors, and localities to accelerate implementation and mobilize the entire political system to ensure every citizen receives at least one health examination per year.

That spirit is being realized through concrete actions. From April 25 to June 21, the health sector organized free health checkups and consultations every Saturday and Sunday. All 45 out of 45 communes and wards deployed this program. Nearly 900 healthcare worker visits were rotated to reinforce and support grassroots-level health stations. Over 183,000 citizen visits - equivalent to nearly 24.6 percent of the province’s total population - received free examinations, screenings, and health consultations.

For a mountainous province like Điện Biên, dispatching doctors to the grassroots-level carries particularly significant meaning. Instead of traversing dozens of kilometers of steep pass roads to reach a hospital, residents access healthcare services right in their communes and villages. Elderly people, poor households, national merit contributors, people with disabilities, and individuals not yet enrolled in health insurance represent prioritized beneficiaries.

A notable highlight of the program is that it does not stop at conventional checkups, but also includes blood tests, urine tests, and chest X-rays. These serve as vital screening steps helping detect dangerous pathologies early, even before clear symptoms manifest. Screening is the “first door” of disease prevention; the earlier a disease is detected, the higher the treatment efficacy, the lower the cost, and the better the citizens’ quality of life is guaranteed.

Practical reality demonstrates that periodic health checkups help identify diseases in early stages, avoiding substantial treatment costs later on. More importantly, citizens form the habit of proactively caring for their health, rather than visiting medical facilities only after falling ill.

However, the implementation process still faces numerous hurdles. Điện Biên features a vast territory, scattered population, and highland villages with difficult travel conditions. Limited economic conditions and incomplete public awareness regarding periodic checkups present ongoing challenges. Notably, all 45 commune health stations and 84 sub-stations are currently not equipped with X-ray machines, affecting screening progress and quality. These are “bottlenecks” requiring continued investment attention in the coming time.

Alongside expanding free checkup coverage, the health sector needs to accelerate the construction of electronic health records linked to identification codes integrated into the VNeID application, serving long-term public health management, monitoring, and care. When health data is managed uniformly and interconnected with the national health record system, tracking, care, and treatment will become more scientific, accurate, and convenient. Every citizen will possess a “digital health profile,” establishing a foundation for universal health management in the digital transformation era.

A sound policy must originate from life and serve life. Resolution 72 and the free public health checkup program clearly embody that spirit. When every citizen is cared for, receives periodic health checkups, and is looked after right from the grassroots-level, it represents an investment not only in healthcare but also in the future, human resources, and sustainable national development. Therefore, this is truly a policy meeting the people’s aspirations, strengthening public trust in the Party and State, while affirming the goal of human-centered development - placing public health as the foundation for all progress.