Under the National Programme on Digital Transformation, the government aims to develop and master a series of “Made in Vietnam” digital products. These technologies are expected to fundamentally change the management and delivery of education and healthcare.
Education
The education and training sector will focus on digitalising management, teaching, learning, evaluating, and scientific research. Smart educational models are being developed based on the application of IT platforms.
According to a media report, there is a shared database between the education ministry, departments and offices of education and training, and educational institutions. The sector has digitalised and identified the data of more than 53,000 schools, one million teachers, and 23 million students, contributing effectively to the enrollment, statistics, and reports from the sector.
Authorities are mobilising teachers to contribute and share learning materials on the digital data storage of the sector, which has added early 5,000 quality e-learning lessons to the Vietnamese Knowledge System.
However, investments are needed in network infrastructure, IT equipment, transmission lines, and Internet services for schools, especially in isolated areas. Further, collecting digital data such as e-libraries, e-learning software, and simulation application software has not been implemented in a planned manner. This has made it difficult to control learning quality and content.
Healthcare
Regarding the healthcare sector, currently, 100% of medical documents have been electronically processed. All administrative procedures of the Ministry of Health have been carried out online at level 4 and are gradually being connected to the national public service portal.
The Ministry of Health is also promoting remote health examinations and treatment activities, including providing medical consultation, image diagnosis, surgical consultation, technical transfer training, and others. The health sector has made public the prices of 62,438 types of medicine (retail prices in pharmacies), 17,066 medical equipment and supplies, and 93,253 medical bidding results.
Additionally, a large number of hospitals have applied electronic medical records to replace outdated paper ones and used the picture archiving and communication system (PACS) without film printing. The Ministry of Health is ranked 4th on the overall IT application level among ministries and ministerial agencies.
However, for total, comprehensive, and safe digitalisation, legal frameworks and financial mechanisms must be revised as medical equipment with IT applications are not considered as medical equipment, which suffers from depreciation.
Other sectors of the economy
In the business sector, digital transformation has become indispensable in the fight against COVID-19. Since the pandemic hit, more than 13,000 digital tech enterprises have been established, up 28%. Vietnam’s digital tech business community currently has over 58,000 companies. As per the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC), 38 made-in-Vietnam digital platforms were being used by organisations and enterprises by the end of 2020.
In the area of natural resources and the environment, digital transformation has contributed to building a comprehensive information system and large database to effectively manage the field. Including, the national land and geographic databases. Data on monitoring natural resources and the environment, biodiversity, waste sources, sea and islands, climate change, and meteorology.
IT experts say it is necessary to immediately deploy a number of solutions to be able to master digital infrastructure, digital platforms, and national cyberspace. This will aid the objective to develop a safe, healthy, and humane cyberspace as well as master the “Make in Vietnam” production technology. Further, digital technology and services must be universal with reasonable prices and easy to use and convenient for everyone.
