Extra beds have been added to serve patients in the overloaded general hospital in Phu Yen Province. The Health Ministry is drafting a proposal to provide beds for all.

The Ministry of Health has targeted that patients will no longer have to share beds during treatment in major hospitals by 2015.

This is the main part of the ministry's draft proposal on easing patient overcrowding in central-level hospitals after listening to public opinion two days ago.

In the proposal, the ministry aims to reduce the use of beds to below 100 per cent. Currently, the highest use is recorded at 249 per cent in Ha Noi's Cancer Hospital, 168 per cent in Bach Mai Hospital and 124 per cent in the Central Maternity Hospital.

There are also plans to add at least 11,350 beds to central-level hospitals in HCM City and Ha Noi.

Treatment quality is being targeted as well, by reducing the number of patients that each doctor has to care for less than 50 per day in the next three years, and less than 35 in the next five more years.

Currently, the number stands at 55 per doctor in Ha Noi's Bach Mai Hospital and 60 per doctor in HCM City's Cho Ray Hospital.

The draft proposal also mentioned upgrades to hospitals.

In Ha Noi, works of international-standard policlinics and hospitals will be built in five districts, namely Gia Lam-Long Bien, Hoa Lac, Soc Son, Phu Xuyen and Son Tay. A series of health clinics will also be set up to serve HCM City residents.

In other localities, hospitals and health clinics specialising in cancer, cardiovascular, obstetrics and paediatrics will receive support from the ministry.

According to Dr Vuong Anh Duong of the ministry's Therapy Department, the total investment capital for the project was estimated to reach more than VND36.7 trillion (US$1.7 billion), which will be funded by the State budget, Government bonds, organisations and individuals.

Nguyen Thanh Dung, a 59-year-old patient who suffers from kidney failure in Ha Noi, said she hoped she would have her own bed for each round of treatment at hospital.

"I always have to go home when I've finishing my treatment because there aren't any beds available," she said.

"After a serious procedure, it would be nice to have a bed to ease the pain," said Dung, who goes to the hospital every two weeks for treatment./.