Most of the sector's information was derived from periodical reports, rather than from actual examinations, he said at a two-day workshop held yesterday in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau.
In addition, the quality of the information lacked precision and was not trustworthy, he added.
He explained that information collected on one issue from different sources varied too much because it was not conducted at the same time or with the same method.
Moreover, the use of information technology to collect, analyze and disseminate information was still limited.
The ministry, with support from the EU's Health Sector Capacity Support Project (HSCSP), has issued a master plan for health-information system development in the 2014-20 period with a vision toward 2030, as well as statistical indicators to support health planning, monitoring and supervision of healthcare activities, and the country's regional and global integration.
"The ministry is striving to create important reforms of the health sector, and the contributions made by HSCSP in improving and strengthening the health information system is highly sensible," he said.
"These contributions will, at the macro level, help Viet Nam's health information system define an orientation toward development to support health planning and budgeting processes, making them better-tailored to actual needs," Tuan said.
The workshop was jointly organised by the ministry and HSCSP with an aim to disseminate and replicate solutions to improve and strengthen the quality of the health information system.
More than 250 statistics officials from the Ministry of Health and departments of health are expected to benefit from the workshop, as well as another one planned in the northern city of Hai Phong at the end of the week.
During the two workshops, statistics officials will have a chance to study the set of health statistical indicators and master plans, as well as hear the experiences of local health departments on collecting and compiling statistics.
Since 2009, HSCSP has supported Viet Nam's health sector in standardising its health information system by using the project's solutions to improve the quality of health-information systems in its projects in three provinces and partnerships with 15 provinces.
He explained that information collected on one issue from different sources varied too much because it was not conducted at the same time or with the same method.
Moreover, the use of information technology to collect, analyze and disseminate information was still limited.
The ministry, with support from the EU's Health Sector Capacity Support Project (HSCSP), has issued a master plan for health-information system development in the 2014-20 period with a vision toward 2030, as well as statistical indicators to support health planning, monitoring and supervision of healthcare activities, and the country's regional and global integration.
"The ministry is striving to create important reforms of the health sector, and the contributions made by HSCSP in improving and strengthening the health information system is highly sensible," he said.
"These contributions will, at the macro level, help Viet Nam's health information system define an orientation toward development to support health planning and budgeting processes, making them better-tailored to actual needs," Tuan said.
The workshop was jointly organised by the ministry and HSCSP with an aim to disseminate and replicate solutions to improve and strengthen the quality of the health information system.
More than 250 statistics officials from the Ministry of Health and departments of health are expected to benefit from the workshop, as well as another one planned in the northern city of Hai Phong at the end of the week.
During the two workshops, statistics officials will have a chance to study the set of health statistical indicators and master plans, as well as hear the experiences of local health departments on collecting and compiling statistics.
Since 2009, HSCSP has supported Viet Nam's health sector in standardising its health information system by using the project's solutions to improve the quality of health-information systems in its projects in three provinces and partnerships with 15 provinces.
