HCMC – A National Assembly deputy has urged the Government to increase budgets for health and education, arguing that current funding is insufficient to support essential infrastructure for these two sectors.
At the National Assembly’s eighth session on November 5, Hoang Van Cuong, an NA deputy from Hanoi, said that state money should at least cover initial infrastructure investments in both sectors.
Today’s session, chaired by NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man, centered on the implementation of the 2024 budget and allocations for the 2025 central budget.
Cuong pointed out funding disparities, saying that out of the VND120 trillion allocated in the 2024 budget, only VND1.2 trillion (1%) went to the Ministry of Health and VND1.5 trillion (1.2%) to the Ministry of Education and Training.
While the 2025 budget projects a slight increase, only 3.7% of the total VND148 trillion will be allocated to health and 1.9% to education. He highlighted that a recent VND50 trillion increase in the 2021-2025 budget cycle did not earmark specific investments in these two critical areas.
“While hospitals and universities are encouraged to operate with financial autonomy, inadequate state funding leaves these institutions struggling to cover infrastructure costs”, said Cuong.
Without sufficient funding, financially autonomous hospitals and universities may have to take on debt for development, which could raise operational costs and ultimately affect patient and student expenses, he warned.
