According to statistics, Viet Nam hosts more than 400 industrial zones, including four export processing zones, which employ millions of workers, a considerable proportion of whom are women. To enhance workforce quality and address the country’s development demands, relevant sectors and authorities must adopt tailored approaches and comprehensive healthcare solutions for female workers in these settings.
Persistent challenges in health access
Female workers account for over 70% of the 1,800 workers in the Ha Noi Textile and Garment Corporation (Hanosimex).
According to Dang Ngoc Quan, Executive Director and President of the Trade Union at Hanosimex, in accordance with the Labour Law, regulations from the Ministry of Health and other relevant ministries, as well as requirements from importers in the United States, Australia and other countries, the corporation provides annual health check-ups and occupational disease screenings. Female workers receive additional screenings for cervical and breast cancers.
Despite commendable efforts by the government and enterprises to uphold workers’ wellbeing, gaps remain in access to medical services.
A 2024 survey conducted by the Institute of Workers and Trade Unions (under the Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour) found that 43.3% of workers self-medicate when unwell and seek professional care only when their condition deteriorates. Merely 19.9% accessed healthcare facilities in the past year, and only 5% were hospitalised for serious illness—revealing significant shortfalls in healthcare accessibility.
One major barrier to the low utilisation of healthcare services among workers is time. Most healthcare providers offer health insurance-based services during standard office hours, whereas workers often labour 11 to 12 hours daily, including overtime.
Although regular health checks are offered, they lack specialist examinations, limiting early detection of serious and occupational illnesses.
According to Dinh Anh Tuan, Director of the Maternal and Child Health Department under the Ministry of Health, over 60% of the labour force in garment, footwear and electronics sectors are female.
Many are internal migrants lacking stable living conditions. Long working hours and shared accommodations hinder their access to general and specialised health services — including education on reproductive tract infections, sexually transmitted diseases, and unintended pregnancies.
Meanwhile, although local healthcare systems have made efforts to meet the reproductive health care needs of workers, limited resources, infrastructure, personnel, and financial capacity have restricted service availability. The local reproductive health service network is often distant from workers’ workplaces; services are only provided during office hours, creating barriers for workers to access and utilise these services.
These represent significant gaps in the provision of healthcare services overall and reproductive health services for female workers in industrial and export processing zones across localities.
Policy and programme reforms for female workers' healthcare
In response to mounting health needs, in September 2024, the Ministry of Health approved a project entitled “Consultation and Provision of Reproductive Health Care Services for Workers in Industrial and Export Processing Zones for the period 2024–2030”.
The project targets that by 2030, 80% of public and private medical providers are equipped to offer basic reproductive health consultation and care packages; 90% of workers can gain access to reproductive and sexual health services, including screenings for infectious diseases and cancers; and 90% of enterprises will work with medical facilities to organise services suited to workers’ conditions and schedules.
To achieve these goals, Deputy Health Minister Tran Van Thuan stressed the importance of strengthening policies related to reproductive and maternal-child health, revising legal frameworks, and enhancing medical staff training—including industrial healthcare workers and trade union representatives.
Functional agencies need to organise retraining and new training courses for healthcare staff, including workplace health workers and trade union officials at all levels in industrial and export processing zones, on reproductive health care consultation and provision.
Plans are also in motion to compile standard equipment lists for health check-ups, develop clinical guidelines, and coordinate with provincial and city authorities to implement this initiative.
Trade unions and industrial zone managers are being mobilised to support healthcare delivery for female workers.
Vice President of the Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour, Thai Thu Xuong, announced initiatives to improve communication skills and health knowledge—covering occupational safety, nutrition, and disease prevention—especially for union representatives and female labourers.
The Confederation has urged units to regularly conduct mandated health checks and screenings, with specialist focus for those in hazardous environments. Improving workplace conditions will remain a priority to minimise risks of occupational accidents and disease across industrial zones nationwide.
